Stand By Me
by ilubbtea
Summary: Usagi returns to Japan for the first time after she is accepted to her dream law program. Her plans? To focus on school and come out on top. But what happens when her reason for leaving is there too? They were once best friends. What happens now?
1. Prologue

AN: I decided to revisit and change the plot I had initially created for "Best of Friends" six months ago. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to write anything since then. You see, I've been a very busy girl. I enrolled in a new school, put greater emphasis in my studies, "trimmed the fat" on my social life, and, of course, had to deal with another relationship that just didn't work out.

To be completely honest, my current state of mind doesn't exactly want to believe in anything romantic or love-related. Personally, I have, for the most part, given up on trying to _find someone_, and am beginning to believe (or hope) that love will come my way on its own. I'm a control freak, so it's usually a bit hard for me to accept such ideology. Nevertheless, it's really all I'm working with for now.

Anyway, I'm not quite sure what inspired me to try and write again. Maybe it's because I want to start believing again. Maybe I'm just procrastinating; I am a known procrastinator, after all. Or maybe it's the slight night breeze slinking its way into my room through the half open window that's got me nostalgic, reminiscing about the days when everything was much easier and my biggest concern was whether or not I'd be able to avoid staining my white school uniform blouse with the cheese popcorn that my nanny had told me to stop eating.

Random, I know.

Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I'm not rich. That should tell you (and me) something.

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><p>She believed in only a handful of things. That you don't need to be lucky if you're prepared, that hard work always pays off, that a good drink shouldn't taste like it belongs in a chemistry lab, and that one should always know that difference between taking advantage of an opportunity and abusing the privileges one is given. If she were honest, she would probably say that she wanted to believe that love could conquer any obstacle, but since "wants" aren't the same as "needs", and she didn't particularly see love as a necessity in her life, she decided to claim that love really only comes to a few instead.<p>

Serena wasn't always this way, of course. Mixed in with the days of her adolescence were the events that eventually led her to this point in life. Those were the events that, in all honesty, had made her leave her homeland for another continent. Away from the only life she knew at eighteen, away from the people she had shared her childhood memories with, and of course, away from him.

Oh yeah, **him**.

She shook her head, reminding herself not to think of people that no longer mattered in her current life. She'd been gone for almost five years now, and has accomplished many things since they last met. The memories of the person who had caused her insurmountable grief no longer bring her to tears. A slight tug of emotion, maybe. But not tears.

There were more important things to think about, anyway. Like, what was it again? The thing she had initially been thinking about before her mind wandered off in the dark recesses of her past?

A brief glance at the table brought her back to the present. On the flat, tinted glass was the envelope that she had opened just a few minutes ago. Beside it was the note from Seiya.

_Hope to see you soon_.

She knew that, by all means, there was nothing keeping her from accepting Seiya and the college's invitation. After all, Tokyo University had always been her dream school, and she had always wanted to be a lawyer. So why was it that she wasn't jumping for joy at the acceptance letter and the full-ride scholarship award that had (almost literally) come knocking on her door that very morning?

_Hi.._—NOTHING.

'_Come on!' _she told herself. _'Just because we'd be in the same country doesn't mean we'd automatically see each other.'_

Right?


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** I'm beginning to have a clearer idea of how I'm going to work the story, and thankfully, I'm beginning to enjoy writing this story again. I realize that it's still somewhat random for me to just suddenly "remaster" the story I had started out with, but I can guarantee that this will be a lot better than the plot that I had initially laid out.

Lastly, I own nothing.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy~

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Mamoru pulled into the front of his family's mansion, parking right beneath the shaded area that led to the house's main entrance. There were no other vehicles around, which could only mean that neither his parents nor his sister were home. The possibility gave him a slight sense of relief. His folks were probably the last people he wanted to see at the moment, especially after the last time they had asked him to come over, when they tried to marry him off to a daughter of another well-off family.

He had adamantly refused, of course. But he knew that his parents, especially his mother, would never quit. It seemed as though ever since he had finished which his undergraduate degree, Mrs. Chiba's main objective had switched from pestering his older sister about becoming an old maid to finding him a "suitable wife". And while Setsuna was grateful to be relieved of the agonizing torture of constantly being set up with men she didn't have the slightest hint of interest in, he was currently enduring his mother's constant whining for grandchildren.

It was for that reason, of course, that he had avoided seeing his parents for nearly a month now. He had stayed in apartment downtown, and even made various excuses in order just to miss any more matchmaking attempts during the traditional Sunday family dinners.

The young man opened the French doors that led to the mansion's foyer. Without bothering to wonder why nobody was there to greet him, or let any of the staff know he was around, he headed past the twin staircases that led to the second floor of the lavish home and headed straight to the family library.

He wasted no time lingering in the elegantly designed office, and headed straight to the shelves in the back room. After turning on the light, he began looking through the shelves and boxes that contained his old books and even some school supplies from when he was in high school. Specifically, he was looking for his old high school yearbook. Two of his best friends, high school sweethearts Motoki and Makoto, were about to get married, and the "head" bridesmaid, Mina, wanted to create a decorative collage that included pictures of the couple spanning all the years of their relationship. However, since she didn't attend the same high school the rest of their little circle of friends did, she didn't have their high school yearbook.

"Ah hah," he exclaimed gladly, relieved that it didn't take him too long to find the old hardcover book. He touched his old alma mater's logo, embossed on the black front cover of the book, and briefly ran his thumb through its pages. To his surprise, a white envelope fell out and landed softly on the floor. Mamoru thoughtlessly picked up the envelope and placed it back into the yearbook. He didn't know what was inside, but figured it was just something random he had forgotten he placed in there.

Less than five minutes later, he found himself back in his car, driving towards the main gate. Glad he was successful in avoiding his parents, he decided to go on with the rest of his day. His first mission, he supposed, would be to call Mina and let her know he had found the yearbook. He pressed a button on his dashboard, chose her name from his list of contacts, and soon heard the line ringing from his coupe's speakers.

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Two weeks. Well, technically, it had been three and a half weeks since Seiya sent the enrollment packet to his friend in the United States. But it was only two weeks ago that she called him to let him know that she had received it, and that she had finally, after much deliberation, decided to accept.

He was glad. Well, more than glad, actually. Serena… well, Usagi, since he figure he should start referring to her with her original Japanese name now that they would both be back in their home country, was one of his best friends. They had met during their first year of NYU, and although their first meeting was more strange than pleasant, they had developed a good relationship in the past three and a half years.

Of course, how they met didn't particularly matter now. Their main priority would be attending Tokyo University's prestigious law school, and graduating together again, like they did in New York. And although she had initially chewed his head off for filling out an application to the university for her, he knew that she was grateful. TU had been her dream school before he himself ever even thought about attending it, and he knew that she deserved the full-ride the campus rewarded her. And although they had never really discussed much about her life in Japan, save for a few stories she shared about her friends, he knew that she wanted to come back.

Well, he didn't technically _know_. He admitted that it was really more of an assumption than anything. But she had to want to at least visit or stay there for a while, right? After all, she had told him before that she hadn't had the chance to return since she migrated to the United States. How could she possibly not miss it?

His phone rang then, and to his surprise, it was Usagi's number. He clicked the green icon on the screen and answered the call. "Sere?" he asked curiously, wondering why she was calling him when it was already so late in New York. "You okay?"

"Ugh, yeah," came the girl's reply. It sounded as though she was a crowded place, but her voice sounded raspy… almost sleepy. "I'm here."

He chuckled. She was probably drunk-dialing him or something. "I know you're on the other line, dork. I can hear you. Who are you with?"

"I'm not drunk Seiya. I'm here. In Japan. As in HERE IN JAPAN."

"What the hell?" the young man nearly yelled to the receiver as he got up to look for his keys. "Where are you exactly? And why am I only finding out now?"

She chuckled. "I was getting nervous, and I guess I figured I wouldn't go through with it if I waited any longer. Besides, it's your birthday and I wanted to surprise you. So, happy birthday. And… Surprise!"

Seiya shook his head, still in shock and disbelief. She _would_ pulla stunt like that off.

"In case you're wondering. I'm at the airport… waiting for my luggage. And for a ride," she added, obviously amused. "See you outside in… thirty minutes?"

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"Thank you so much!" Minako squealed, nearly hopping back to the dining table once she had Mamoru's yearbook in hand. He followed her and sat down, watching as she flipped carefully through its still-perfect pages.

"No problem, it wasn't even a bother at all," he told the girl. "Just do what you want with it, I guess."

The cheery blonde looked at him with a smirk. "Are you sure? What if I find out some of your deepest, dirtiest high school secrets in here?" She took a seat herself and pulled the book even closer to her as she continued to peruse through the different sections. She smiled upon seeing a picture of Ami, on a page that featured the Academic Decathlon team, searched for pictures of their other friends. She stopped and looked at another picture that featured Rei in the Chorus Group's page, and sighed a breath of excited relief when she saw a picture of the couple, Motoki and Makoto, on the school track team's featured page.

"I'm definitely going to use this one," the blonde told the best man, who she had gotten to know much better during the wedding preparations. Out of their circle of friends, she had known him the latest, and perhaps, the least. But ever since she was assigned "head" bridesmaid and Motoki announced that he would be the "best man", they had spent more and more time together. She spoke to him more often now and was definitely more comfortable with him, even though there was still a lot about him that she didn't know.

"So what exactly is a 'head' bridesmaid?" Mamoru asked suddenly. He had been thinking about the title for a while and found it rather strange. The girl might as well be the maid of honor, but for some reason, Makoto had held back and merely said that she wasn't really looking for one.

"To be honest, I'm pretty much doing all the work the maid of honor wants," Minako explained as she continued to flip through the pages. "But I'm not offended that I'm still considered a bridesmaid despite it all; I'm sure Makoto has her reasons." She pulled her cellphone out from her pocket and began typing down page numbers of pictures she wanted to use, quietly squealing in delight every time she found another one.

"What's this?"

Mamoru saw that she had stopped at the page where he must have slipped the white envelope that fell out of the book back when he was a library. "Not sure, to be honest," he admitted, remembering that he really didn't know what was in it in the first place. "You can open it if you want."

The girl handed him the envelope instead. "Look, I know I'm a gossip but… I don't want to take the chance to see a picture of some teenager's boobs sent specifically to you," she joked. "You open it. I'll keep looking through this."

He took the envelope and looked at it uninterestedly for a while. He figured that since he didn't know what was inside it anymore, then it couldn't possibly be that important in the first place. But there was something hard and card-like inside it, and he knew that it may be another picture that Minako can use for her little project, so he began to tear its empty side and pulled whatever was within it out.

He immediately realized that it wasn't a picture, or anything that was even related to Motoki and Makoto's relationship at all. In fact, the little card within the envelope was from someone who was no longer around, and who hadn't been around in a very long time. The slight tug in his chest, and felt memories he had stopped thinking about come back to mind. Memories about the past. Of her.

_(Flashback, 2003)_

_The sun was barely rising, and the cold morning air stung his cheeks, turning them into that embarrassing shade of pink he hated the most. But it wasn't time to think about that right now. What __was__ important was the fact that it was the second Saturday of January, and instead of enjoying the weekend, he was about to take the high school entrance exam for Tokyo Science High School. "_This is stupid_," he mumbled to himself as he wondered whether or not to skip it altogether. Normally he would just turn around and head over to Motoki's house to sleep the morning away a bit more, but he knew she wouldn't like that. Especially not after the week of tiring all-nighters and grueling preparations for the test. "_Although, she doesn't have to know that I didn't take it,_" he mumbled again, as the image of the blonde who basically pestered him throughout the past few months to register, study, and practice. "_If my number doesn't show up, she'll think I just failed."

"Excuse me?" _a familiar voice called out beside him, breaking him out of daze. He looked at the girl, who seemed to have popped up out of nowhere. She was short, with almost a foot below him, with blonde hair and, at that moment, cheeks that were flushed crimson. She was breathing hard, although he couldn't tell if it was because she was tired from running or because she was pissed after hearing him mumble._

"Where the hell did you come from, meatball-head?_" he asked, almost amused by her appearance. "_Don't you know you're not supposed to _bring stress_ to exam candidates before they take the entrance exam?_"_

"Well fuck you then, jackass! I guess I shouldn't have wasted my time waking up early to see you,_" she retorted, her eyes narrowing with obvious annoyance. Mamoru merely smiled in return, happy to know that even though she would much rather stay at home and sleep in, she chose to see him off instead._

"Anyway, did you tell your parents about today yet?_" she asked, voice a bit hopeful. Along with pushing him to take the entrance exam for one of the most prestigious and exclusive academic institutions in the nation, the girl had also practically begged him to tell his family about it. _

_He shook his head, much to her disappointment. "_Didn't bother,_" he told her casually. He looked off at some trees in the distance, knowing that he'd feel terrible if he saw the expression on the girl's face. "_There's no point, Usagi. They're not even really expecting me to graduate anyway. Besides, I don't even have to take this damn test. My dad's already paid the president of our school to let me graduate regardless of my attendance, as well as the president of Nishimoto Academy to let me into their high school program, regardless of my record. He has them by the balls."

_He took that chance to look at the girl, now sitting beside him, from the corner of his eye. Her expression said everything he expected, and he felt bad for disappointing her, but shrugged the feeling off anyway. "_Why should I bother telling Dr. Chiba if I'm probably going to fail anyway?_"_

_Usage sighed. "_Don't say that,_" she said quietly. She looked up at him and reached for his hand and held it. It was a habit that she had developed over the years of their knowing each other, and something that had grown to make him feel somewhat more secure and sure of himself. Of course, that was a secret he would take to his grave._

"I tutored you myself, remember? You got this. You're not going to fail."

_Mamoru turned to look at the girl face-to-face. "_How do you know? Not everyone's a hardworking genius like you, meatball-head._" The girl winced at the name he used to refer to her whenever he was trying to piss her off, but decided it wasn't the time to blow up in his face over it. Even though it was the second time he said it that morning. "_Do you not realize that, despite the fact that you've only attended about a third of your classes, you're still passing with better grades than most of the students on campus? The only reason you're not doing as well as you should be is because you don't participate in class, don't turn in half the work you're supposed to do, and pretty much only go to class when there's a test to take."_ She squeezed his hand, which she still held, a bit tighter. "_You might not be the most hardworking, but you can develop that in high school. And even though you're not a genius _like I am_," _she paused briefly in order to give her last phrase a bit more emphasis,_ "you're crazy intelligent."

_He chuckled, amused by the girl who seemed to know his capabilities so much more than he himself did. "_Whatever_," he replied cockily, shrugging the discussion off as though it was something completely unimportant. He realized that even though their conversation made him less anxious about taking the exam, it also made him more tired of thinking about 'the future'. _

_Mamoru glanced at his watch, and noticed that it was almost time for him to head to the designated testing area. Suddenly, he felt his nerves come back at him, and the desire to miss the exam altogether came rushing back. _

"Don't even think about it, mister," _the girl threatened lightly. His normally unreadable face was no mystery to her. She always seemed to know what he was thinking. Mamoru watched as the girl shifted on the bench and faced him. "_Here_."_

"What is this?_" he asked, looking at the pink, laminated card the size of a driver's license that she was handing him. "_Some sort of curse item?" _he teased. _

_She merely shook her head and maintained her smile. "_I don't normally believe in luck, but… it's a charm. Just in case_." She shoved the item into his pocket and, out of habit, took his hand in hers again. "_And to remind you that, if you mess up, I will beat your ass_."_

_He laughed and pulled the blonde into a tight hug, thanking her and cheerfully reminding her that she was far too short to beat anybody's ass, regardless of the situation. Then, they sat on the bench hand in hand for a while longer until it was finally time for him to go._

_(end flashback)_

"Mamoru?" Minako called out as she watched her friend space out within seconds of opening the envelope. The fact that his expression changed from mildly uninterested to something completely unreadable didn't escape her, either. "You okay?"

He blinked. "Yeah, sorry, just…" he chuckled and put the card back into the envelope before putting it in his pocket. "Spaced out," he continued. "I suddenly felt a little tired."

"Okay," the blonde replied, not quite believing him. She ignored it anyway, though, figuring that whatever it was, if indeed there was something going on at all, it was none of her business. "Is it anything I can use for the collage?"

"Ugh, no," he responded, still rather quietly. "Hey Mina, I have a few more things to do today, do you mind if I head out?"

"Not at all," the blonde responded, standing to walk her guest out. "See you at dinner tonight? You _are_ coming, right?"

"Definitely," Mamoru nodded, putting his jacket back on. "Good luck with the collage," he told her as he moved towards the door. With one last hug, he went on his way.

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_Perfect timing, as usual,_ Serena thought to herself as she walked through the airport terminal's automatic doors. It had been thirty minutes since she hung up with Seiya, and, as expected, he was already outside. He turned his hazard lights on before getting out of the blue convertible he had driven, and engulfed his friend in a bear hug.

"You're crazy!" he told her as he released her light frame and took over the cart that held her luggage. "I can't believe you didn't tell me you were coming in advance."

"Miss me?" Usagi simply beamed as she walked beside him. Seiya only shook his head in pretend defeat. "If I'm this happy to see you, then I guess so," he replied.

She laughed and opened the convertible's trunk. "Like I said, it's your birthday surprise. Remember, over the phone?" she pretended to wink flirtatiously at him while she placed her smaller bags beside the larger ones. She closed the trunk and took her seat on the passenger side while she waited for Seiya, who returned the cart to its station quickly.

He merged into airport traffic and headed back to the street. "It's rush hour," he told her plainly. My place is about twenty minutes away. Do you have a place to stay in yet?"

"More or less," the blonde replied. "I turned down the university's housing offer mostly because I didn't want to share a room in a double. I got a one-bedroom in a nearby building though, I just need some furniture."

"Want me to call Taiki?" Seiya offered, remembering that his brother knew a few interior decorators that would probably be able to help her more than he could. "You can stay at my place in the meantime."

Usagi smiled. "Thanks!" she beamed. "I'm actually pretty excited about furniture shopping. I didn't have much money when I got the apartment in New York, so I didn't get to do as much as I wanted. And I didn't want to throw out what I already bought when my trust fund came around, so I never bothered to get new stuff."

"Good, then you guys can talk about it tonight, I'm having dinner with him and Yaten later since it's my birthday and all," Seiya added. "Unless you already had plans?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Nothing. I told you, it's your 'birthday surprise'," she reminded him. "I'm not going to ditch you on your birthday. Besides, nobody really even knows I'm here."

"Sounds good," her friend nodded happily as he merged towards the freeway entrance. "You wanna drop off the big stuff at your place first then?"

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**AN: **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It's still a bit short, and doesn't have a lot of MamoXUsa, but I'm still trying to build up the setting. I'll have their first meeting on the next chapter though! So please look forward to it. I'm working on it now and will be done with it soon (:


	3. Chapter 3

AN: This one's a pretty short chapter. It took a little while because of finals, and because I was trying to enjoy as much as I could of my semester break (ie. going out, beach! friends, etc.) I hope you guys enjoy it (:

Also, Usagi and Mamoru don't meet up yet. But they will soon!

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><p>He took the envelope from his pocket held it in his hand as he drove down the freeway. He knew that deep inside, the main reason he left Mina's so quickly was because he felt suffocated by the memories the little card inside the envelope brought back to him. They were things that, for the longest time, he tried not to think about. Besides, Mina would eventually realize that there was another person depicted in the majority of the group's photographs in the yearbook, and he felt uncomfortable discussing <em>her<em> with the leading bridesmaid.

At the same time, Mamoru finally understood why Makoto had pushed against the idea of making Minako her maid of honor, despite the close relationship the two had developed over the past few years. It was because of _her_. He knew that, at the end of the day, the only maid of honor the gentle Amazon would ever choose is the one that wasn't around. The one that, as far as he knew, had not contacted any of their mutual friends since she left five years before. The girl was forever irreplaceable. That girl was Usagi.

He pulled the card from the envelope and held it in front of him. The laminated plastic was in nearly perfect condition, and the glittery blue ink the girl had used to write on the charm was preserved. He didn't have to read the card to know what the message was. He had read it enough times during high school, and even in his first two undergraduate years to know it by heart. The words "for luck" were written in bold letters on one side of the card, while on the other was a picture of the two of them taken when they were mere toddlers with the caption "_The world is yours_._ I love you_". He chuckled at the thought. "So much for that."

He tried his best not to feel anything, but even the mere idea of Usagi's name brought about an intense combination of anger and depression. To some extent, it was still difficult to accept that she decided to leave, even though he had known for a while now that his actions were the reason why. Every now and then, he would allow himself to reminisce and think about her. He wondered where she was and what she was doing, if she had a charm of her own to give her luck when she needed it, if she had grown up to the potential he saw in her when they were younger, and most of all, if she was happy.

He'd spent years, literally, trying to forget. After she left, his main goal was to erase all traces of her from his memory. Not just because he wanted to, but because he realized that he had to. It was the right thing to do, no matter how much it hurt.

Well, of course he'd be hurt. Why wouldn't he? Even though he was young at the time, even though he was still completely irresponsible and utterly immature at the time, and even though he had treated everyone else around him as disposable and replaceable, she had always been the exception. And no matter how he tried to change how he felt about the girl after she had gone, it was impossible. But it was his fault, wasn't it? He was the one who acted like a fool at every possible opportunity, the one who abused her kindness and treated how she felt for him like a weakness. He knew that she loved him unconditionally, and that she would always forgive him.

That is, until he found out that she had her limits too.

_Love's a funny thing_, he thought suddenly. But maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was actually an all-consuming, incredible opportunity bestowed only once in each person's life. Or maybe just a few. That's right. Maybe love only came to those who are capable of giving it purely and honestly like her, and teased everyone else with mere illusions and possibilities because, well, some people really just didn't deserve it. Like him. He probably didn't deserve it like she did.

Frustrated, he gripped the steering wheel tighter and pressed the gas pedal a bit deeper. He hoped that if he drove fast enough, run far enough, her memory would make its way back to the dark recesses of his mind, where he had decided everything about her belonged. He briefly thought about opening his window and letting the charm slip out into the freeway. He imagined that it would eventually get run over and the charm would tear apart, just as their relationship did way back when. He couldn't though, and once again, the fear of losing his memories of the one shining light in his life defeated him, and he found himself tenderly putting the charm back into its envelope before placing that in the center console of his coupe.

Once the charm was out of sight, he tried to convince himself, once again, that he merely felt guilty about the awful things he did to the girl. That the pain he felt in his heart wasn't because he was still in love with her and couldn't let her go, but because Usagi's sudden leaving had left him no opportunity to apologize and repent. That although it was his fault, he couldn't be blamed for the irresponsibility of his youth. And at that time, he was almost able to believe it.

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"Should I make the birthday boy a drink before we go to dinner?" Usagi asked as she looked over the row of liquor bottles lined up against the wall of Seiya's bar after she got done getting ready. She donned a simple black dress, strapless with a "V" shaped cut on the neckline as well as her favorite pair of black Louboutins.

"I'm okay, thanks," Seiya replied as he walked out of his bedroom. "Besides, I'm driving. Why don't I make you a drink instead?"

Usagi considered it. She wanted to say yes, but she felt bad at the same time. "Why don't you let me drive? It's your birthday, after all. You should be able to do whatever you want."

He chuckled. "The great Serena Tsukino of NYU is turning a drink down?" he teased as he walked towards the bar. "Our friends would be shocked."

"Yeah, well… don't get used to it," the pretty blonde replied in mock annoyance. "Just because I'm being nice doesn't mean I've decided on a lifestyle change."

The birthday boy laughed at the statement and enveloped the girl in a tight hug. "I am so happy you're here for my birthday," he told her gratefully. "It's like my own little piece of New York came over to celebrate with me."

Usagi smiled and hugged her friend back. "I can't leave my partner in crime hag-less on his birthday. We've been together for almost five years babe, there's no turning back now," she responded gleefully. "Now let's go to dinner because I'm staaaaaarving!"

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Mina looked around at the interior of the restaurant both her friends and her boyfriend's brother had chosen for dinner. It was a coincidence, but not quite a surprise, that Seiya had chosen "Sonata", the hottest new restaurant in the city for his birthday dinner. Her friends, on the other hand, have wanted to try the place for a while now. Either way, it worked in her favor.

"Everything okay?" her boyfriend's smooth, serene voice asked as he placed his hand politely on her back and looked at her. She nodded, looking back at Yaten's nearly-beautiful features. Once again, she thanked the heavens that he was a man. It was safe to say that she wouldn't have as many modeling contracts if he was a woman. "Are your friends here yet?" he asked again. She looked at the pearl-faced Movado watch on her wrist. It was only 8:15, and their reservations weren't set until 8:30. "Fifteen minutes," the model replied with a smile. "Let's say hi to Taiki and your friends, babe. They're here now, right?"

Yaten shrugged, "Taiki and everybody, yes. But the birthday boy, I'm not so sure."

Mina's eyes widened in surprise. It was uncommon for Seiya to be late for anything, even if it was just a casual meet up. "Is everything okay?" she asked, hoping that there was only a slight amount of concern in her tone. Although she had fairly good relationships with Yaten's family, she often felt that he wanted her to maintain a slight distance from them.

He nodded and smiled slightly, surprising Mina. It was an expression she had never seen the suave music producer make before. "He's on 'usagi' time," he replied, his eyes twinkling with a sparkle akin to an infatuated teenager.

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She walked to her friends' table a little over twenty minutes later. She had initially hoped that Yaten would offer to walk over to say hi to her friends, but after saying that his brother was on "rabbit time", whatever that meant, he seemed too happy to care about much else. It irked her slightly, or was it that she was worried? She trusted her significant other, but something just didn't seem right. It was his expression, she determined, that gave her doubt. Because she had never, ever seen him look that happy in the entire span of their relationship.

But then again, the orphaned Kou brothers shared a strong bond. And the two older brothers were especially protective of the youngest, Seiya, who had come out during his freshman year at NYU. So perhaps Yaten was merely thinking about his brother, and maybe he was just happy that they could all still celebrate another year together? She didn't know.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She turned to see Motoki's face smiling at her. She smiled back, shaking her head. He always was intuitive when it comes to his friends' feelings.

"Just thinking," she replied sitting up on her chair. The others were busy in their own conversation, and he seemed to be the only one who noticed that she was lost in her own little world.

"About?" he pressed further. She sighed, surrendering to the desire to vent.

"I was hoping Yaten would come with me to say hi to you guys, but he didn't. I guess I'm a little upset about it," she confessed, avoiding Motoki's gaze. "I know he's not necessarily the friendliest, but... I wish he wasn't so distant."

Motoki only nodded, his face clearly thoughtful. "I'm sure if there's something important, he'll tell you about it at the right time," he told the girl. "I think that some people, like Yaten, I suppose, take a little while longer to open up. It doesn't mean there's something wrong; it's just that it takes time."

The model nodded and did her best to smile. He was right, and she just had to understand that Yaten was guarded and she needed to be patient if she wanted to break down the walls he had built around himself.

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* * *

><p>...<p>

...

Something within Usagi told her it wasn't going to be a simple evening. At first she thought it might just be the excitement of her first night back in Japan, but her instinct told her it was more. In fact, the anxiety she felt during the car ride to Sonata had become so bad that as soon as they got inside the venue, she rushed to the ladies' room for a moment alone.

Was she being ridiculous? She wondered as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She figured it would happen eventually, that she would see the all-too familiar faces of her past again. Her family's social standing not only meant that she knew more people than most, it also meant people she didn't know were aware of who she was. Word spreads fast in a city like Tokyo. It was completely possible, although maybe not completely probable, that _they _already knew she was back. That _he_ knew.

"Miss, are you okay?"

Mildly surprised, she turned to see another blonde looking at her with sincere concern. The girl had the face of a model, and the way she stood told Usagi that she probably was.  
>"Yeah, just a little tired, I think," she replied. It was a lie, and she didn't particularly mean to lie to a complete stranger, but then again… she wasn't about to vent to some random stranger in the bathroom. Especially not when Seiya and his brothers were waiting for her.<p>

The girl gave her a friendly smile in return. "I know how you feel," she said. "I hope you have a good night."

"Me too," Usagi spoke silently as she watched the stranger walk away.

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><p>...<p>

...

"There she is!" Seiya exclaimed once he saw Usagi making her way to the table. He had started to worry about his friend, who was gone for at least ten minutes. She looked pale, even sickly when they got out of the car, but he didn't say anything because she would only try to dismiss it.

Besides, he knew better than to argue with the bullheaded blonde.

"Taiki, Yaten!" the blonde greeted as she walked over to Seiya's siblings. She gave each brother a hug and a peck on the cheek, something she had become accustomed to over time. "Sorry I didn't say hi right away," she apologized. "I think the time difference might be taking a toll on me."

"No worries," Taiki told her with a smile. "We're all just glad you decided to take the university's invitation," he added. "Seiya was going crazy waiting for you to reply."

"And pissed about the application," the youngest of the brothers added. "Which she was, by the way."

Usagi sighed mockingly. "Just at first!" she defended, looking at Yaten and Taiki. "I mean, after the initial wave of shock, I was grateful," she added with a playful smile. "I just had to let the idea sink in."

"The most important thing is that you're here NOW," Yaten added. "And it feels right. Like you're exactly where you belong."

"Cheers to that," Taiki interjected, raising his glass to meet everyone else's. "And of course, cheers to the birthday boy!"


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **I've been gone for a while. Not just from writing fanfiction, but from writing, in general. So before I get started on this new chapter, I'd like to apologize in advance for any errors that this piece might have (I also don't have a beta, so there's high chance there will be mistakes somewhere). I already know that no amount of explanation for my absence would suffice, so I won't go into it. Instead, I will just say "Hello" again, and try to assure you that I'm back, full force, and inspired to finish. Yes, this is my attempt of assuring you.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own it.

Enjoy~

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><p>She couldn't believe it. After all, it was impossible, right? Her best friend disappeared five years ago, with barely any warning and absolutely no mode of contact left behind. But there she was. Or at least, someone that looked just like she remembered Usagi looked like, plus five years of graceful aging into womanhood was there, walking through Sonata about fifty or so feet away from where their party was seated. It was unrealistic, foolish, and altogether stupid, but Makoto just had to get closer. She had to make sure she wasn't dreaming.<p>

"Her dress is cute, no?" she heard a voice from near her fiancé, Motoki, say. Suddenly distracted, she turned her head on instinct, and saw the strawberry blonde who was speaking to her.

"Huh…?" the tall brunette managed dumbly. She was still struck, unaware that her mouth remained opened and that she looked like she had just been hit on the head.

"The girl over there. I think we're looking at the same one. Her dress is cute," Minako elaborated. "I saw her in the restroom earlier. I wanted to ask her about it, but she didn't seem well, so I didn't," she added with a chuckle.

"Oh," Makoto only mumbled, still somewhat confused, although she felt her heartbeat speed up slightly, along with a combination of sadness, anxiety and excitement course through her veins. As her mind cleared, she began to think more quickly. And if Minako saw her too, then that meant… well, that simply meant that her mind wasn't just playing tricks on her.

She jumped up at that moment, pushing her seat back and began walking to the direction of the girl she had seen. "I have to make a phonecall," she declared to their party, who at this point paused their individual conversations to look at her in wonder. "I'll be right back," she added, picking up her phone for effect.

She was out of sight before anyone could say anything more. Everyone looked at Motoki, who merely smiled and looked back at the rest of the bridal party. Mamoru looked at him questioningly. His best friend was obviously wondering, and was silently asking him if something was wrong.

"Just a small, wedding-related emergency," he assured them. Before Minako or the other girls, who was helping Makoto with the wedding planning could ask, he added, "something about her caterers. Don't worry, I'm sure she can handle it."

A silent, but simultaneous sense of ease returned to the party, and the tensed glances aimed towards him relaxed bit by bit. Once everyone got back into their conversations, Motoki took a smooth sip of his drink. Makoto could handle it. Of course she could. And if he was right, and the fleeting vision he had when he saw Usagi walking across the room came true, everything would be back in place again.

Mamoru would be happy again.

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_Just a few more hours_, Usagi thought as she went through the motions of having dinner, a few drinks and catching up with Yaten and Taiki. Just a few more hours and they'd be heading back to Seiya's apartment. Just a few more hours until she can sleep the anxious feeling off her system, and just a few more hours until she can wake up the following day (hopefully) ready to start living in Japan again.

She felt herself raising her martini glass as Yaten proposed yet another toast, and unconsciously she took a dainty sip of the apple green concoction it held. She told herself she would only have two flutes of champagne, as she wanted to drive herself and Seiya back home. The fact that she was actually suckered into a martini seemed proof that she was more anxious than she wanted to believe it was.

Forcing herself to clear her head and get into the present, she picked her cellphone up from where it lay on the table and took a quick picture of the birthday boy, Seiya, whose level of drunkness at this point almost guaranteed that he wouldn't remember a thing the following morning. After a second shot of him laughing as their server brought another Manhattan his way, she put the device back down and turned to Yaten, who was sitting beside her.

"He's enjoying himself," her friend's older brother said as he smiled towards her. "I don't know how you guys are gonna get to the flat when he passes out on the drive home," he added with a slight shake of the head.

"I'll get the doorman's help," she simply answered. "I just need him up that elevator and on his own bed, then I'll leave him be and get some sleep too."

Yaten nodded, already aware of the fact that there was no use in arguing with the blonde about letting him or Taiki drive them home. She didn't want to inconvenience them, and neither would Seiya.

He smiled inwardly. The two were so alike, it was no wonder they got along so well. They were both firm in their decisions, and stubborn at times. They were caring, at times to a fault, and both were fiercely independent, requiring nothing but the best from themselves regardless of what others brought to the table. That was essentially why success greeted them at every corner they turned. Because to them, working hard was a habit, and excellence was requisite. They focused and sought to outdo their previous best, as opposed to competing with the world around them.

The only difference, he figured, was that Usagi was far less open than his brother. It wasn't something apparent in the girl's behavior. If anything, one would have to pay attention to her mannerisms for it to show through. There were moments, he remembered, back in New York, during social situations, that he would look over at her and see that she was deep in thought. As though something weighed heavily on her shoulders... on her heart. Not that he would ever say it to her face, partially in fear of the possibility that she would shut herself off even more. Besides, he didn't think he had the right to ask her about such personal matters. Although they were friends, he wasn't close to her like Seiya was. And most likely, nobody else was.

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Makoto found her chance when she saw the girl get up from the table and walk towards the patio. At first, she was surprised. Usagi was sitting at Yaten Kou's table, where they were celebrating his little brother Seiya's birthday. They seemed happy, and it looked to Makoto as though they all knew each other really well, considering how easily they were laughing with each other over jokes, pictures, and drinks. And the way Yaten seemed so at ease around her was surprising as well. Minako's boyfriend, after all, was known to be aloof, and only opened up to certain people. Apparently, Usagi was one of them.

She followed after the blonde, about thirty feet away, thinking about how she would approach her and what she would say when they were both outside, and hopefully, alone. Should she pretend like it was a chance meeting and act surprised? Would she reveal how anxious she had been to see and talk to her best friend) after all these years? Or would she simply be honest, tell her she saw her from across the dining area and decided to see if it was really her.

Even though it was her, and she already knew that.

She stood by the french door for a few minutes, still thinking about what she would do when she shrugged and decided to play it by ear. A chill breeze embraced her skin as she opened the wooden frames of the door, and the noise from the busy Tokyo street filled her ears.

But there was silence, and a calm in their immediate surroundings. They were alone in the patio, and Usagi stood with her back to Makoto, as she lit a cigarette and took her first hit.

* * *

><p>She knew. Of course she knew. The sense of foreboding that built around her as she walked into the restaurant, sat at the table and had her second martini told her that it would happen tonight. That something out of her control would occur and she'd have to face at least some facet of her past there, even though it seemed unfair. It was, after all, her first day back in Japan. Couldn't fate have waited a week or two, at least?<p>

Usagi took another puff from her cigarette, letting the smoke run through her lungs. That was why, instead of having Makoto eventually come up to the Kou's table, she decided to step out for a cigarette instead. Because the brunette would eventually get closer to their table, and she would have to explain what was going on. And she didn't want that.

And now the girl she had grown up with stood behind her. There would surely be questions to ask, and she would somehow, in the span of a few seconds, have to find the courage to answer.

She shook her head. _No_, she scolded herself silently. She would deny, avoid, distract, and do whatever else she needed to if she wasn't ready. WHich she didn't know if she was, but she'll figure it out. She always did.

She took another puff from the cigarette in her hand before turning to face Makoto. Unsure of how she should react, she tried to be as emotion-free as possible. They looked at each other for a few seconds, each waiting for the other to begin the conversation.

"Hi," Usagi finally spoke, putting on a melancholy smile. She looked at Makoto, and realized that although she was still, by all means, the girl she used to hang out with, she had definitely grown up in the time she wasn't around. "It's been a while," she added eventually.

Finding herself more speechless than she expected, Makoto merely responded with a nod. A mixture of happiness and apprehension filled her. _What now?_ she thought silently. Apparently discovering that she wasn't at all daydreaming and that it really was Usagi was a lot more difficult than she though it would be.

"I guess I have some explaining to do," she heard Usagi say as she turned back towards the street. Makoto cleared her throat and stood next to her, clearing her throat as she tried to find her voice. "You do," she finally said. "But you don't have to."

Shocked and confused, Usagi looked over at the brunette with widened eyes. "Huh?" she managed dumbly.

Makoto shook her head before glancing at her. "I mean, you don't have to make any explanations now, if you aren't ready. Yeah, you've been gone, and you left without saying a word to anyone. But that happened a long time ago," she paused, throwing Usagi a sincere smile to ease the tension. "I'm sure you had a good, serious reason for doing so. So if by any chance you aren't ready, I can wait on it. Just please, don't do it again."

Unable to contain her relief, Usagi let out a deep sigh. "Thank you," she told Makoto gratefully. "And I won't, I promise."

They hugged then, and for a moment, they felt like the fifteen year old girls they used to be. Excitement filled Makoto's heart, and before she knew it, tears had formed and fallen from her eyes. Panicked, Usagi started wiping her friend's cheeks frantically but as gently as she could at the same time.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm crying all of a sudden," Makoto apologized as she attempted to regain her composure. "It's just... I was so shocked when I thought I saw you. One second I was having dinner with the gang, and then next thing I know I was following you around like a stalker," she explained with a chuckle. She took a deep breath and looked at her friend with the biggest smile she's made since she could remember. "I still can't believe you're in front of me after all these years. Where have you been all this time? And how long are you gonna be in Tokyo?"

Usagi took a puff of the cigarette that she had almost forgotten was still in her hand. "New York. I eventually went to college there. And I don't know if I'm here for good, but probably three years, at least? I got accepted to TU's law program."  
>"Congratulations!" the brunette exclaimed, narrowly missing the cigarette as she gave her friend another hug. "That's always been your dream, right? I'm so happy for you!"<p>

Usagi laughed. "It is, thank you! But I think I should be congratulating you too. You're engaged!?" She pulled herself from Makoto's hug and took the girl's hand to take a better look at the diamond on her hand. "To who?"

"Motoki!" Makoto beamed as she thought of her upcoming wedding. "The wedding's actually just a few weeks away," she added. "Would you be able to come!?"

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...

The question lingered in Usagi's mind on the drive home. She took a moment to glance at her passenger, Seiya, who was completely spent and passed out beside her. If only she could be as trouble-free as he was right now.

She recalled the short, but sweet conversation she had with Lita in her head. _"Of course I'll be there,"_ she had told the brunette._"I wouldn't miss your wedding for the world." _The entire time, the repercussions of her acquiescence filled her brain. Her hopes for a low-key return, one with little drama and shock value would be squashed.

God, she wanted a cigarette. If it weren't for the fact that Seiya was vehemently against the smoking habit she'd acquired hanging around the party scene in New York, she would have lit one up by now. After all, she was in his car, and while they were open and shared everything, she respected his dislike for the scent of tobacco smoke.

She would get her fix later though. She wasn't going to fall asleep later, anyway. So once she gets him all settled and in bed, she could sit on the balcony with a Jack&Coke, and smoke the tightness in her lungs out. She didn't have to get on her errands until about noon, anyway. She's bound to sneak an hour or two of sleep in eventually.

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"Has the catering dilemma been settled?"

Mamoru tinkered with the pendulum on Motoki's desk as he waited for him to respond. It was Sunday, and by all means his best friend should be out, enjoying the last few weeks of being a bachelor. Instead, he had cooped himself up in his office to catch up on paperwork and look over numbers.

Motoki paused, remembering what had happened the night before, and the conversation he had with Lita later on that evening. "Ugh, yeah," he answered weakly. It felt wrong, keeping information from Mamoru. Information such as... knowing Usagi was in the city, within thirty miles of him, and not telling his best friend. But he had made a promise to Makoto, who was scared that, if the gang found out before Usagi was ready to come back into the picture, she'd merely go away again. And honestly, he felt the same way.

Luckily, he had the disguise of working, and he felt confident that Mamoru wouldn't notice or hear the thoughts racking his brain. If he did. Well, fuck. He had no idea.

"Good," Mamoru spoke as he leaned back on his chair. He stood and walked to the window of Motoki's temporary third-floor office. He was getting some construction work done on his permanent workspace in thetop floor, and wouldn't be back up for another month or so. "Is Makoto planning on sticking with the 'Chief Bridesmaid' title with Minako, too?" The words came out before he could think them over, baffling Mamoru in the process.

Motoki looked up with a raised brow. "Dunno," he answered in the most laid-back tone he could find. "Why the sudden interest?"

The question garnered a mere shrug in response, although Motoki could sense a sudden stiffness in his friend's stance. _Does he know?_ he wondered, thinking that if he did, it would be one less secret to hide, less pain, less...

"I just feel bad for Mina sometimes," Mamoru started, pressing a hand on the glass pane. While the view from the third floor was paltry in comparison to the one up top, it was better for people watching. More distracting.

"She's doing so much of the work without getting any of the glory," he continued. There was more he wanted to say, but couldn't really bring it up without thinking about it first.

"You know Makoto," Andrew responded, getting back to the numbers he had previously abandoned. "She's not going to let it go."

_Neither__ am I, ever_. Mamoru thought to himself, knowing exactly what his best friend meant. And for the hundredth time in the past two days, he wished he hadn't been the one to offer Minako the copy of their high school yearbook. If he didn't, that white envelope would never have fallen out, and maybe, it would have been easier to not think about Usagi again.

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_There were times that being the oldest grandchild to a well-established family sucked. But this time wasn't one of them, _Usagi thought as she drove her new, cash-paid Range Rover off the lot. Not one to bother with the tiny, camped coupes that so many of her friends found desirable, she opted for the security, and the feeling of safety an SUV provided. She felt thankful for her good fortune and, once again, for the fact that she didn't squander her trust fund the minute she received it.

She was finally on her way to the apartment she had bought for the duration of her stay in Japan. A one bedroom, she told Seiya. And it was, she chuckled, as soon as she turns second bedroom into a library, and the third into her closet.

And the fact that her flat took up the entire 54th floor of the building? Well, it doesn't take away that there's only one bedroom. _Her bedroom_.

She laughed then, realizing how silly it was. She didn't spend much in New York. Of course, that didn't mean she lived poorly either. She bought what she wanted, when she wanted it, but was never too extravagant, and made_ investments_ instead of mere _purchases_. She wanted to secure her future as soon as she could, because it meant that she wouldn't have to deal with the pressure of having to work only to sustain her lifestyle later on.

And this flat in Tokyo? Another investment. The title cost her a pretty penny, but that was okay. It would be home for the next three years, at least. And if she decided to leave after the program, it would be another moneymaker.

She pulled up to the building moments later, grabbing her purse along with the coffee she'd been sipping on before handing the keys to the valet. She had yet to get her parking permit, and didn't want to risk getting a bothersome ticket for something silly. After thanking the young man who'd taken her car, she headed towards the elevators that would lead to her new home.

* * *

><p>Her phone started ringing right when the elevator bell chimed, signaling that she was on her floor. She fished the device from her back pocket and glanced at the screen, her steps halting when she recognized the name and phone number. Makoto.<br>"Hello," she greeted calmly, unsure of what to expect. She set her things on the tile and walked around, surveying the space she had to fill up. Without any furniture, the amount of available space seemed overwhelming.

"Hey Usagi," the voice on the other line came. Makoto's tone made Usagi think that she was apprehensive. She was about to ask what was wrong when Makoto started talking again.

"Is this a bad time?" she heard the brunette say. Usagi smiled and walked towards the full length mirror that faced the city of Tokyo. "No, not at all. Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Oh," Makoto managed, fully expecting the blonde to pull away and tell her that she was busy. It made her happy though, because this was progress, wasn't it? "Would you happen to have time for lunch?" she eventually asked, thinking about the conversation she and Motoki had the night before. "If you can't though,"

"I can't. I'm sorry," Usagi replied quickly. She realized how harsh her words sounded, and instantly felt guilty. "I mean, I have to meet with my interior decorator for lunch, since my apartment's still completely bare," she elaborated, hoping she sounded less severe.

Makoto's heart fell, and then stilled after the blonde's explanation. "Oh, okay!" she said, probably a bit too cheerily. She didn't care though. She had something important to tell Usagi, to ask her, and it couldn't wait. "What about dinner then?"

Usagi looked at the busy streets down below. The pedestrians walking around looked like ants, and the vehicles seemed like toy cars. "I can do dinner," she told Makoto. "What time?"

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"Oh, okay, I'll see you at home, then."

Motoki placed the phone back in his pocket, briefly glancing at Mamoru, who had sat back down on the chair across his desk. He wondered if his friend heard his conversation, and then realized that he didn't really know if he wanted him to.

"Makoto's having dinner with a friend from out of town," he said vaguely. Mamoru looked up from his own phone and let out a nonchalant okay before turning back to it.

"Want to get a few drinks in with the boys?" he proposed, hoping that he wouldn't ask any details about were his fiancee was going. Not that he would.

* * *

><p>While they often had dinner with the gang, the boys hadn't gone out by themselves in a good few months. Too long, in Mamoru's opinion, who always enjoyed their friends' company. They had, in one way or another, grown up together, and within their little group was a bond that might be just as strong as that of the girls'. He hoped that Motoki's upcoming marriage wouldn't change that. Not that he really thought it would. Makoto was understanding, and she knew more than anything that the boys meant the world to Motoki. If anything, she would even be the one to persuade him to go out with the guys.<p>

Taking advantage of the free night, and the fact that all the boys were actually available, he immediately reserved a table at Heat for that evening. The lounge had been their go-to since graduating from their undergrad programs, preferring it to other places due to its exclusivity. They were still all from prestigious families, after all. And despite the fact that they didn't walk around flashing their money at everyone and everything they saw, people knew who they were. Women too-often tried to throw themselves at him and his friends in an attempt to gain some sort of social standing.

Not that he didn't enjoy the company in bed, every now and again. While he was no longer the horny, rebellious teenager he once was, he still enjoyed a great lay. And even though a good woman is hard to find, a good fuck is... well, not as elusive.

He wasn't trying to look for one tonight, though, even though the selection of women on the dancefloor was better than it normally was. Tonight was about catching up with the guys, throwing back a few beers, and sharing a few bottles of Blue Label. He didn't want to bother with leaving the party early to be with some girl he didn't know and wasn't particularly interested in.

_Not that there's been anyone else. _ He groaned, willing the niggling thought to go away as he poured two shots worth of whiskey into his glass. He tried to return to the conversation at hand, laughing when Yuichiro made a joke about current baseball stats, but couldn't keep up for long. He downed the liquid in his cup, blaming the appearance of that damn envelope once again, but knowing that it really wasn't just because of that. It was everything.

_Doesn't matter_, he decided, knowing that these sour moods of his would eventually go away again. He just had to let it pass, like he always did.

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For the second time that day, Usagi drove towards her new building. This time, however, she headed straight to the underground parking garage. She had gone to the administative office earlier that day, right before leaving to meet with Taiki and his friend, the interior decorator who she immediately warmed up to and hired to help decorate her entire place.

_That was a good meeting, too_, she thought to herself as she pulled up to her designated spot. They went to a number of furniture stores, looking at various pieces of furniture that suited Usagi's tastes. She sought a bedroom set first, as it would be the most important part of the apartment right now. According to the shop manager, it should already be set up in the flat by now.

The other things, such as the dining table and chairs, the couch set for the living room, and the glass coffee table she had chosen for the living area would come in the following day. She didn't have too much time to look for more things, since she had eventually met up with Makoto for dinner, but had set up an appointment in two days to look for the rest of her furniture.

She sat in the car for a few more minutes, her thoughts reverting back to her friend's proposition during their dinner. _"I don't have a maid of honor_,_"_ she remembered her friend saying. _"I guess, in __a way, I was still waiting for you."_

_"It would be a good way to get reacquainted with everyone again."_

_"... like the reunion we've all needed in a long time."_

_"... you'd be paired with Mamoru."_

A good "no pressure" comment was also added in, for good measure, probably as an attempt to keep her from freaking out. Makoto knew her well, having been her best friend growing up. Of all people, only Makoto and Seiya knew how difficult she could be when she felt like she was being pushed into a corner.

Of course, she didn't turn Makoto down. How could she, after all? Despite the lack of communication between them over the past five years, Usagi knew that she probably hurt Makoto the most from her disappearance. And the way she felt made her realize that she owed the girl at least this much, no matter how awkward and difficult it would be to face Mamoru again.

At least the brunette gave her a week before having to reintroduce everyone to her life. She needed it. She needed to warm up to the idea, to accept it, and to figure out a gameplan on how and where to move on after the event was over. Most of all, she needed at least that much time to garner the strength to face him again.

She dreaded that part the most.

* * *

><p>Tired by her thoughts, she finally stepped off her car and walked towards the elevator. As she walked the short distance to the lift, she heard the soft hum of an oncoming car. <em>One of my new neighbors<em>, the voice in her head stated, although she didn't particularly feel up to meeting anyone just yet. She was too tired.

The humming stopped just as the doors opened. She pressed her security code on the elevator's keypad, remembering that the added security measure was one of the reasons she decided to get the apartment in the first place. Usagi pressed one more button, the one for her floor, and leaned against the wall as she waited for the doors to close.

And then it happened.

The footsteps she had previously heard in the background, after the hum of the newly arrived vehicle had stopped, and the car door had opened and closed came closer, got louder. And then a gasp, five feet away from the lift doors.

* * *

><p>He thought he was imagining things. He wasn't drunk, but the liquor in his system definitely took a toll on his thinking, and that could be it, couldn't it? It happened to him often. Once, he even mistook Minako for her.<p>

But he couldn't possibly be imagining this now, could he? He stepped closer, placing his hand against the door that was just about to start closing. The resemblance was just too uncanny. The woman in front of him was just too familiar. Like the grown-up version of her he had often imagined and thought about.

And now she was here. Face to face.

The door chimed, and he walked in without turning his gaze from her. He couldn't, partially from disbelief, and partially from the fear that if he did, she would suddenly disappear, just as she always did when he imagined her there.

She turned her head away from him, and for a moment he was blinded by the sparkle that reflected from the diamond stud on her left ear. And then he blinked for the first time since he saw her.

When he opened his eyes, she was still there.

"Usagi?"

tbc.

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><p>Finally, finally! They meet again. It almost didn't happen, let me tell you, because for a while I thought I wanted to prolong it. Then, I suddenly wanted them to meet, but couldn't quite figure out when. I had a number of ideas. Like, that scene where Mamoru was looking out the street from Motoki's window? Yeah, I thought about him seeing her there. I also briefly considered having him see her at the lounge, but I didn't really want to prolong that scene either. In the end, they met at the elevator of Usagi's new building, which would mean... YES, they're neighbors.<p>

I mean, Mamoru has to live somewhere, right? Lol.

**Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!** I'm going to start working on the next one now, and hopefully I'll do a good job. As a friendly reminder (and a sort of plead), I just want to say that all comments, suggestions, even criticisms are welcome. I (and the story) can't get better without feedback after all, right?

**Thank you for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

Hello everyone!

It's been a while, hasn't it? Over a year I think. First, I would like to apologize for the long delay. Quite frankly, life has just gotten in the way. But hey, I'm back and I'm working on this once again! So here you go. The fifth chapter.

* * *

><p>A number of thoughts rushed through Usagi's head as she did her best to avoid the deep-blue pools that attempted to swallow her whole. Phrases like "<em>just my luck", "why me", <em>and even a comical _"you have got to be fucking kidding me"_ threatened to come out the second she lost even a mere morsel of self-control.

Because scenes like this aren't supposed to happen in real life. Angst-filled elevator drama scenes are supposed to be exclusive to the silver screen.

Besides, running into the one person you were desperately hoping to avoid wasn't supposed to happen within two days of you moving back to your hometown. It was such a cliché. Couldn't the universe give her at least a week to mentally prepare for this?

And yet here she was, in the one situation she didn't want to ever be caught in.

Annoyance was among the emotions that swept through her. After all, how could this possibly be a coincidence? She hadn't even been in Tokyo for a week. The only people she's seen other than the Kou brothers is Makoto. And since Taiki and Yaten have never mentioned anything about knowing the Chiba family (it _is_ more or less a given that Seiya, who at least knows of Mamoru's identity from Serena's old stories, would never say a word to anyone), it had to be Makoto. Or Motoki. Or fuck, them **both**.

She took a deep breath and, despite the nervous ache in the pit of her stomach, looked him in the eye for the first time in five years. At that moment, time stood still, just as it always did when got lost in the navy blue eyes that used to drown her eternally.

_I suppose some things just don't change_, she thought quietly.

His low voice broke the silence that engulfed them both. "You're here," was all he managed to say. He was still surprised, and a large part of him was still stunned in complete disbelief. "… how?"

His reaction momentarily stunned Usagi. It seemed as though he didn't know she was in Japan after all. Makoto had kept her word. It was fate who had decided to test her strength once again.

Moving quickly, she cancelled the elevator's trip to her apartment floor and she pressed the button to the lobby instead. Mamoru didn't seem to notice. If anything, he seemed drunk.

"Talk to me," he pleaded lightly, as he stepped further towards her in the compact cabin. "I've thought about this moment for five years, and in every single scene I've imagined, you would at least… speak."

The elevator door shut, and she knew she was trapped with him for at least a half a minute.

He reached out towards her, half expecting her to punch him or at the very least swat his hand away from her, just as she used to when they were younger.

Instead, she trembled, shocking him frozen.

The elevator chimed and its doors proceeded to open. The low noises outside told Mamoru they were in the lobby floor.

"I have nothing to say," she mumbled as she slid past him, still looking away.

By the time Mamoru turned to look for her, she was gone.

…

…

…

…

Usagi checked her pulse. Damn, it was still elevated. She closed her eyes for a moment, reassuring herself that she was free, that she had avoided him, and that when she opened her eyes, he wouldn't be there. It was a habit she'd developed when she had first moved to New York. A little reminder of the fact that she had chosen the path that led away from him; and that no matter how close he might seem, he was as far away from her as he could be.

Even though she didn't always feel that way.

There was a time that she forgave any mistake he made, simply because she was in love with him.

She wiped a tear from her face and looked around her. Somehow, she had managed to get to her apartment without realizing it. Exhaling deeply, she forced herself to think of how much she has accomplished without him by her side. From living alone for the nearly half a decade to graduating with the highest honors in NYU, she had managed to grow up and separate herself from the relationship had, at one point, defined her. And although she could never erase the fact that she wasted so much of her time trying to build something from the absolute nothing that she had with Mamoru, she could still forgive herself for taking part in the relationship at all.

She sighed heavily as she made her way to the newly set-up bed that sat in the middle of her bedroom. She should be happy right now; celebrating, even. Instead, she not only had to worry about getting ready for the semester and getting her apartment fully furnished, she had to worry about how the incident in the elevator would affect her being the maid of honor at Makoto's wedding, too.

…

…

…

…

It was still dark outside when Mamoru finally woke up. He found himself lying on the sleek leather couch that fit in with the rest of his furniture perfectly: all clean lines and smooth edges. He thought about the girl in the elevator, half-thinking that he probably embarrassed himself in front of one of his building neighbors. _Or not_, he thought to himself, thinking about her reaction towards him. The quiet solidity her voice held when she told him _she had nothing to say to him_ grated on his nerves. He expected flaming, uninhibited anger. Instead, he got nothing.

And really, the latter is so much worse.

He fished the cellphone from his pocket. Paying no mind to the fact that it was after 3 in the morning, he dialed Motoki's number from memory.

"Hello?" a grumbling voice sounding far less than please responded after four rings.

"Did you know?"

An uncomfortable silence pervaded the line, one Mamoru had only felt with Motoki once before. He heard his friend sigh on the other line. It was all he needed to hear.

"Who told you?"

"I ran into her at my building."

"Is she living there?"

"She didn't want to talk to me."

"Dammit Mamoru, can you blame her?"

He walked towards the floor-to-ceiling windows of his living room, thinking about that question. In the distance, he could see that the city was finally winding down. Though it never slept, he found the dimmed atmosphere that encompassed this town before dawn more appealing than the noisy hustle and bustle that went on during the day.

"Makoto's afraid of scaring her away, so I actually promised I wouldn't talk about this with anyone, but she's staying in the city for a while."

"Oh."

"Ma-chan asked her to be the maid of honor, Chiba. She apparently hasn't replied yet, but my fiancé is desperately hoping she'll say yes."

A strange feeling spread through Mamoru's chest. Was he happy? It didn't feel like it. But he wasn't disappointed either. "That's great," he said unconsciously before he can stop the words from coming out.

Motoki chuckled on the other line. "Yeah, well… we can talk about it tomorrow. I think Makoto's waking up," he said before putting the phone back in its place atop the nightstand. He turned to Makoto, still fast asleep, and let out yet another tired sigh.

…

…

…

…

"Honey, you don't look well."

Usagi nodded inattentively, pointing to the empty seat at the table across from her. It was her third day in Japan, and Seiya had just gotten to the café where they agreed to meet up and have brunch together.

She chuckled, "I look better than you did the morning after Sonata," she quipped playfully, reminding her friend of the fact that she literally carried him (with the help of the doorman, of course) back to his apartment.

"Yeah, well I'm pretty sure I'm never drinking with you guys again," Seiya responded jokingly. "You guys kept buying me drinks! And you know we don't turn down free drinks", he added.

Usagi smiled. "This is true," she replied.

"What do you have planned for the day?" Seiya asked once the server left with their orders.

Usagi shrugged. "Not much, I guess."

The simple response made Seiya raise a brow. "Okay, spill it. What's going on?"

"I ran into him at my building," she told him, hoping that her tone was nonchalant enough. "And Makoto asked me to be her maid of honor."

"… And you said?"

"I haven't said anything yet." They halted their conversation once again as the server came with their food. She took a bite of her eggs benedict, savoring the flavor. "But I think I have to say yes".

Seiya looked at the girl across from him. "Are you sure? I mean, it just seems like this is all happening too quickly."

Usagi nodded. She felt the same way, but what could she do? She didn't want to hurt her friend's feelings any more than she already had by disappearing and then randomly showing up five years later. Besides, this was the wedding Makoto's been planning (with her, back then) since they were kids! And just because the wedding they planned _for her _was never going to happen, it doesn't mean she should ruin the other.

As if on cue, her phone started to ring. She pulled it from the table to show Seiya who was calling. _Makoto_. Seiya nodded, telling her to answer. She pressed the green button and held the device to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi Usa-chan, are you busy by any chance?"

Usagi turned towards Seiya, who was looking at her sympathetically.

"A little, but I have a minute. Is everything okay?" she replied.

"Oh, I won't be long then. I was just wondering if you've thought about what I asked you yesterday. I know it hasn't even been a full day, but I want to make sure everything is in order… You know, in case you say yes."

Usagi's eyes locked onto Seiya's, hoping she would find the right answer somewhere within them. A million things rushed through her brain and for the millionth time since her plane landed on Japanese soil a few days prior, she found herself lost.

"I don't know, Makoto… I'm not sure, you know…"

"We-well then you should take a little more time," Makoto replied, effectively cutting the blonde on the other line off before the imminent rejection is finalized. "There's a call on the other line I have to take, but I'll call you later. Okay?"

The bride-to-be hung up immediately and turned, arms crossed, to the two men sitting on opposite ends of Motoki's couch. Normally, this space was reserved for making potential clients more comfortable. But today, it was where she had every intention of chewing her fiancé and his dumbass best man out.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

The words weren't directed towards Motoki, although Makoto wasn't really sure if he was aware of that. If she wasn't so upset, she would probably break down and tell him it wasn't his fault.

"Mamoru, please don't ruin this for me!"

"I haven't done _anything_, Makoto," Mamoru responded calmly. He looked at Motoki from the corner of his eye. Poor sap. He was always helpless whenever Makoto became upset. The calm demeanor he's always been known for melts away each time he frantically tries to find a way to make his fiancé feel better.

"She's thinking about turning me down. As if you don't know why?"

"So what, you think I scared her off?" Mamoru shook his head. It hasn't even been a full day since he saw her and he already felt like his life was already turning to shit. "We didn't even talk, Makoto. How could I have said anything to make her want to turn you down?"

Makoto sighed. "I don't know," she mumbled as she sat in the space between the two best friends. "I just… I don't know."

She looked at Motoki, ashamed of the unpleasant things that she wanted to tell his best friend. Things that she kept to herself for five years. Things she had only told Motoki once, in a moment of sheer depression, and pleaded for him to forget because she hated being so mean-spirited.

Mamoru turned to the couple, his eyes focusing on their intertwined hands. He'd always admired how they'd worked past their difficulties and stood by each other. In fact, there was a time when…

He exhaled, expelling the thought that would otherwise wreak havoc on his brain. "I'll figure it out, Makoto. I'll talk to her."

Makoto opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off before she could even begin.

"I owe you at least that much."


	6. Chapter 6

_She drove in the rain, trying her best not to freak out over the fact that even with the windshield wipers working double speed, she still couldn't see anything. It was only her third time driving without supervision, and she wasn't quite used to her car's finicky handling._

_Nevermind, of course, the fact that she still didn't have her driver's license and her parents would most likely flip out if anything bad happened._

_But she had to get to where he was. She had to see him; to make sure that his wounds, bruises or anything else weren't too severe. This was her responsibility as Mamoru's significant other. It was an obligation she committed to wholeheartedly._

_She knew that by now, people were starting to wonder why she stuck around despite the fact that Mamoru apparently had no reservations about disregarding her at any given moment. Was she stupid? Desperate? Did she have low self-esteem?_

_Even Makoto, who had supported their relationship since the beginning, had come to her the morning after the disaster that was her sixteenth birthday, more upset than she could ever be over the fact that despite promising multiple times that he would show up, Mamoru decided to get intoxicated at a classmate's party. Usagi, trying to maintain her composure so as not to seem immature could only explain that her childhood sweetheart was going through a rough period, arguing that he was just acting out since his father started putting more pressure on him to take over the family business. Who could blame him for wanting a break, and for not knowing what he wants out of his life just yet? Besides, since when was it a bad thing to forgive the person you love?_

_They didn't know about the boy carried her from the park to her home after she scraped her knees from tripping on the basketball court. They didn't know about the boy who stayed up all night just to put a cold cloth on her forehead and make sure her fever went down. They only knew one facet of Mamoru's personality; the tough exterior he puts out to show that he didn't care about his family name's overwhelmingly huge shadow. The one who wanted to walk a different path, away from the great Chiba legacy of ruthless capitalism._

They didn't know him, but she did. And if he needed the time to sow his wild oats before figuring it all out, she would stand by him.

"You have a habit of crying in your sleep."

Usagi opened her eyes and immediately focused on Yaten's figure sitting on the bay window. She'd been riding the halfway point between slumber and wakefulness for a while, but never noticed his presence.

"I'm pretty sure watching people sleep counts as weird," she retorted with a smirk.

Yaten laughed. "It's not my fault you passed out on the couch instead of the guest bedroom." He moved sit on the chair nearest to Usagi's head. "Besides, this is new to me. I'm only used to women crying out in passion, if you know what I mean."

Usagi rolled her eyes and threw a throw pillow in his direction. "Men," she muttered as she sat up from the couch and gently massaged the stiffness from her left shoulder. She glanced at the clock on the wall before looking back at him. It was barely seven o'clock and he looked as though he was ready to wage some capitalistic war, decked out in a sleek black suit that made his grey-blonde hair look intimidatingly silver. "Don't tell me you're about to leave for work," she admonished. "You haven't even fed me yet!

...

...

...

...

If there was one thing Mamoru hated about growing up with such a close circle of friends, it was the fact that nothing was sacred. Everyone in the group was bound to know your business. Each person was bound to have an opinion on it, and even if they don't say anything, you still find yourself trying to figure it out or manipulate it into something that works for you.

This was probably why despite the fact that he cared deeply for his group of friends, he tried to maintain a quiet distance away from them. Although he had made two exceptions to this rule: Motoki, his best friend, and Usagi, way back when. He and Motoki have never had any problems with each other, of course. Theirs wasn't a relationship akin to the fickle nature of the girls'. His relationship with Usagi, on the other hand, simply vanished in a single moment in time. This incident has since solidified his stance against opening up to others.

He tried to regain focus as he reached his destination. Surely, after this, people would speculate again. Their friends would have their opinions again. But regardless of what happens prior to, during, and after this wedding, he would deal with it face on.

He made his way up the polished staircase that led to the entrance of Tokyo University's Law Wing. It seemed empty, but she was there receiving a private tour of the facility and orientation to the program she had been accepted to.

_Thank you, Chiba International_, he thought to himself as he reached the top step. His family name granted him access to such information. He leaned against one of the marble columns that separated this section of the University from the rest, and looked out towards the Greco-Roman inspired architecture of the Law Wing.

It didn't take long for him to find her. About a hundred feet away, the blonde emerged from one of the administration building. Her blonde hair shone under the bright Tokyo sun, and all he could think about was how she seemed to fit into the place so perfectly, like an ancient goddess in a temple that was built to worship her.

Usagi knew that he would be there. Not because she saw him standing by the pillars waiting for him, just as he used to in her childhood dreams, but because she sensed his presence. It had never been a problem, spotting him in a crowd.

But today it felt like a problem. Today, of all days, the only day the really mattered other than her first actual day of law school. She clutched the white folder stuffed with her semester's schedule and other important paperwork closer, as she walked further along the field. She considered turning around and looking for another way to the parking lot momentarily, but ultimately decided against it. After their brief encounter in the elevator, she knew she had to face him eventually.

"Stalking is illegal." She dropped the words coldly, making it known that the last thing she wanted was to speak to Mamoru.

"I don't see you running away." He moved forward to face her directly, reminding himself that he was here for Makoto.

Usagi sighed. "Cut the crap, Chiba." She spit his last name out like it was some sort of toxin. "I have nothing to say to you. We have no business with each other. Don't was—"

"Actually, we do," Mamoru fought to restrain his temper. "I'm here to tell you to stop being selfish. Whatever you have against me shouldn't affect our best friends' wedding plans."

The blonde scoffed. "Who the hell do you think you are calling me selfish!?"

Darien smirked. It gave him an odd satisfaction to know that he could still elicit such a reaction from her. "I'm not here to rehash the details of failed relationships long passed, Tsukino. Spare me the angry ex-girlfriend speech."

Usagi could only shake her head. She was speechless. He was still the same insufferable bastard. _How could I have ever been in love with this person?_

She chuckled. "This must be some sort of cosmic joke," she muttered more to herself than to him. She tried to quell the rage that threatened explode from within her. She looked at him; his expression held a sadistic sort of satisfaction at her aggravation. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her lose control.

"You're right," she said quietly, choosing herself carefully. Composure, she reminded herself. This wasn't the way she envisioned their first conversation after her absence would be, but that was no reason to lose her cool. "But you're being presumptuous."

She threw him a look of pity, deciding that there was no other way to go about it. "Like I said, we have no business with each other."

There was a chill in her voice unlike anything Mamoru had ever heard.

"How and when I respond to Makoto's request is none of your concern. "And this assumption that I'm going to turn her down because some insignificant detail from a past life is completely narcissistic." She leaned in closer towards him, her expression patronizing. "But I guess some things just don't change."

She walked past him without waiting for a reply. There was no need to; it would only make matters worse. As it was, it took nearly all of her energy to stay composed and pretend his demeanor didn't rattle her completely.

...

...

...

...

"Is this seat taken?"

Usagi looked up at the man with the familiar voice and smiled. Clean cut blonde hair, kind green eyes. Motoki hadn't changed a bit.

"Does your fiancé know you spend your afternoons scoping out random girls at bars?" she asked him jokingly. She took a sip of her drink as he sat down on the stool next to her.

He chuckled. "She knows I have a thing for girls who drink at 2 in the afternoon," he replied.

He waved the bartender over. "Double scotch, single malt please. And another one for the lady having a terrible day," he added.

Usagi chuckled. "It's five o'clock somewhere."

Motoki took his drink and faced Usagi. "Before anything else, welcome back." He touched his glass to hers and both took a sip, noting the changes in her appearance since the last time he saw her. She'd grown up, that was for damn sure. Gone were the awkward movements that used to make her seem clumsy. From the manner in which she held her glass and her posture alone, it was apparent that she had become a graceful woman.

"Congratulations on your engagement," she told him eventually, warm with the awareness that she was currently holding her third drink in the past hour. "By the way, I'm your bride's maid of honor."

Motoki took another sip. "Makoto told me the good news," he told her. "Thank you."

"Anything to make her happy." She pulled her glass closer and traced its rim with her finger. "But you know you owe me, right?"

He nodded.

"Did that bastard tell you I told him to fuck off?"

Usagi closed her eyes and took another sip. She hadn't really meant to say anything about her encounter with Mamoru, and instantly felt a pang of guilt. She shouldn't involve Motoki in any of their situations.

He didn't mind, however. "Something along those lines," he admitted openly. He signaled the bartender for another drink. "You know he's not all bad though, don't you?"

Usagi rolled her eyes at his comment. "As far as I'm concerned, whatever he is is none of my business." She looked at the pedestrians crossing the urban streets in broad daylight through the bar windows. "I didn't come back for him," she said quietly. "Life isn't a movie. Sequels and rewrites don't exist in real life."

...

...

...

...

Motoki was still thinking about his conversation with Usagi when he got home. There are no sequels in real life. Sometimes people get lucky and they make it through, but only because they really want to.

He sat on the sofa and sighed. Was that really the case? Despite everything that's happened, he always felt that Usagi and Mamoru would end up together. That somehow, they would patch things up. Mamoru would finally figure it out, and Usagi would find it within herself to forgive him.

He still remembered the night Usagi called him, apologizing profusely. She timed it well, with only a few minutes before she was about to board the plane that would take her away for half a decade. _"This is incredibly selfish; I don't expect you to understand."_ Her voice was hoarse, as though she'd been crying for hours. _"I just… I can't do this anymore."_

Up until that point,he he had no awareness of how severely Mamoru's actions had affected the young blonde. A part of him had always felt guilty; after all, he never did anything to stop Mamoru from being so self-destructive either. All he ever did was help his friend appease Usagi after each indiscretion.

Still, he occasionally found himself wondering if talking it out with his best man would have made a difference in how things panned out. If he intervened early on, would he have been able to keep Mamoru from pushing her over the edge?


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:**

**Hey everyone! How are you all doing?**

**I've been a little busier than I expected lately so this chapter isn't that long, but I wanted to add on to the story as soon as possible! Hope you guys enjoy it~**

**Have a great week!**

* * *

><p>She looked up at the tall skyscraper of an apartment building in front of her, taking note of the architectural design. Somehow, the clean lines gave her comfort. They reminded her of her own single story home, despite the vast differences in style. His place was completely westernized. Hers, on the other hand, was the epitome of Japanese culture.<p>

Her feet walked by themselves. Past the doorman who asked her for identification (he did, right?), to the elevator and eventually, on his floor. She doesn't know how she got there. Heaven knows she doesn't drive. She just… arrived, somehow.

A sharp, tangy taste—acidic—rose up her throat as she rang the bell. She didn't call ahead of time, hoping that by showing up randomly she could chance it, and he wouldn't be there. It'll give her a little more time to put herself together. To thi—

"Rei?"

Her breath caught. She looked at him wordlessly, feeling as though it was the first time she's seen his face in years. His eyes. Have his eyes always looked that tired?

"What are you doing here?"

Rei took a deep breath, pushing down the heat that crept up her throat, threatening to come out. She knew this day would come, but she never thought it would come so soon. She still remembered the day she last saw her. She was so broken then; her pain was so fresh, its image burned into her soul.

"Usagi's back."

…

…

…

…

"Perfect!"

Makoto walked up to the tiny platform where Usagi stood to get a better look at the dress. The wedding was now only four weeks away, and everything seemed to be going as planned, mostly thanks to her bridesmaids. Even the dress Usagi was currently wearing had been chosen ahead of time, on the off-chance that she would suddenly show up (which she did), or that Makoto would change her mind and ask one of the other girls to become the maid of honor. That one was thanks to Ami, who considered the possibility months ago.

"The bust still feels a bit tight, but I think the rest looks good, too." Usagi looked at the dress on the three-way mirror one more time. It was gorgeous. Pastel pink (different from the pale green color of the bridesmaid dresses) with a modest sweetheart neckline and a delicately beaded empire waste where the fabric begins to drape just oh-so-beautifully.

"I do wish the best man was here so we could see how it looks on some arm candy," Minako added gleefully from where she sat on the couch. "You guys will be walking down the aisle together too, after all."

Usagi focused on the intricacy of the beadwork on her dress, pretending not to hear what Mina said. She had to remind herself that Mina has no awareness of her past with the best man. Furthermore, there was really no need to bring it up and make the others uncomfortable.

The bride cleared her throat, sensing the discomfort that seemed to radiate Usagi's entire body. She often found herself in this position lately. Mina would bring Mamoru up while Usagi would quietly shut down, and she'd be stuck in the middle. But she couldn't blame the former; the girl didn't know a thing. She was just concerned about what the topic was doing to Usagi.

"What about him?" Makoto pointed to a lone man standing in front of another three-way mirror, looking over the details of the tuxedo she assumed he was buying. Before the other girls could get a word in, she managed to walk over to where he was and started talking to him.

"She works fast, doesn't she," Usagi chuckled as she watched the bride. She turned her gaze to Minako, who was sitting on the couch with a magazine on her lap. "Wanna have lunch with me sometime?"

Mina looked up from the magazine she'd been perusing. "I'd like that," she responded. Mina felt a sense of relief. She wasn't sure how Usagi felt about her; the girl was so unreadable. She showed up out of the blue, and truthfully... she'd felt a bit out of place ever since. Everybody in their circle of friends knew who she was, but never mentioned her existence. It still seemed odd to her that the random girl she ran into at a restaurant bathroom was now the maid of honor for her friend's wedding.

"Okay girls, this is Alan."

The girls looked over to the man walking arm in arm with Makoto.

Usagi felt bad for the guy immediately. "I'm so sorry for the trouble; you don't have to do anything she tells you," she told him with a smile.

"But he's cute!" Mina looked the guy over openly. She had to give it to Makoto; she had a good eye. He was tall, with at a medium build, almond-shaped blue eyes and thick chestnut-colored hair. "Are you Japanese?" she asked him.

"Half," he admitted. "My father is. My mother is European." He glanced over at the girl in the pink dress. He had noticed her way before Makoto came up to him, and was pleased to see that she was more beautiful up close. "You must be the maid of honor," he walked over to shake her hand and stood beside her. "Like this, right?" he asked, looking at the other two.

...

...

...

...

Rei shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She wondered how she could have possibly thought that this plan, or non-plan, to show up at Mamoru's place and talk to him would ever work. She looked at the coffee table in front of her, still trying not to look at the tall figure who was sitting on the couch next to Mamoru.

This meant quite a bit, considering the fact that Rei wasn't the type to get intimidated easily. But this was Setsuna, Mamoru's older sister. The confident, yet mysterious figure that Mamoru looked up to and perceived as faultless in almost every aspect. And besides, she—

"There's no need to avoid talking to me, you know."

Rei looked at her slowly, smiling tightly as their eyes met. "It's not that," she responded. "It's just—"

"I know. But you should know by now that I'm capable of keeping secrets."

Rei nodded, aware that this was true. She looked over to Mamoru, who was in the kitchen preparing tea for the three of them. She needed him to hurry up._  
><em>

"At least it seems like you guys are still on good terms," Setsuna noted as she followed Rei's gaze.

Rei shook her head. "Nothing really changed with us, that's all." Setsuna was, as far as she knew, the only person aside from Motoki who knew about the incident that occurred the night Usagi left. "We weren't really _friends_ before, and it's not like we got together after."

"I disagree," the older woman replied. "You're not in love with him anymore."

...

...

...

...

Minako watched as Usagi continued to talk to Alan. "Does she have a date to the wedding?" she whispered to Makoto.

They had finally finished the fitting for Usagi's dress; Mina and Makoto were now standing with Mina by the counter waiting to talk to the seamstress about making the necessary alterations on the dress.

Makoto looked over at Mina and shrugged. "She hasn't mentioned anything to me," the brunette replied, suppressing her own curiosity about Minako's sudden interest and whether or not Usagi was, indeed, dating.

"I think they look cute together," said Minako.

Makoto laughed, somehow feeling relieved. "She looks good with everyone," she told the blonde. "But I think it's whether or not she looks _right_ with someone that matters more," she added.

The blonde gave her friend a confused look, and was about to ask what she meant when her phone started ringing. She pulled the device from her purse and smiled.

"Hi honey," she greeted, mouthing the words _Sorry, one minute_ to Makoto as she moved to step away. "I'm at the dress shop with Makoto and her maid of honor, Usagi."

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know I won't make it to dinner tonight. Something came up and I have to fly to Osaka right away."

"Oh, okay." Mina sighed. It was the second time this week Yaten cancelled their dinner plans. She'd grown accustomed to his busy work schedule, but it still made her feel lonely each time it happened.

"Are you talking about Usagi Tsukino? Blonde hair, NYU, white Range Rover?"

She raised a brow and looked at where Usagi stood, still talking to Alan. "You know her?" she asked almost too quickly. She knew it was unreasonable, but a sinking feeling started to form in the pit of her stomach.

She heard him chuckle on the other line. "Relax babe, she went to college with Seiya."

Minako pouted, although she couldn't help but admit that she felt somewhat relieved by this information. "Yeah, well, that's the one."

"That's great! Can you let her know that I'm going out of town too, and that I'll see her when I get back. You girls can call me on my private line if you need to reach me."

"Okay," she responded, ignoring the questions that she really wanted to ask. There would be time to wonder about those things later on.

"I'll call you when I get back then."

She looked at her phone's screen after he had hung up. Typical Yaten not to say goodbye at the end of a call. Even more typical of him not to throw in an _I love you_ or _I miss you_ in the mix, not like she does whenever she has to end their phonecalls first. She looked towards the blonde who was now standing next to Makoto at the counter talking to someone, possibly a sales associate or a seamstress. It seemed like Usagi knew everyone, from her circle of friends to her boyfriend and his family. She definitely wanted to know her story now.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Hope everyone's having a good week so far! I've got a big day coming up tomorrow and have been unable to sleep -_- BUT I guess that's a good thing, since I managed to write up another chapter of SBM (:**

**'til next time!**

**PS. i like reviews! pretty please 33**

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><p>"Let me just call Motoki to see where he is," Makoto told Usagi and Minako as she got up from her chair. The three girls decided to get dinner after Usagi's fitting earlier that day. Famished, they chose a local restaurant that was conveniently close to where Motoki worked.<p>

"Take your time," Mina told her. She took a sip from her iced tea and looked at Usagi, thinking about Yaten's phone call earlier that afternoon.

"I didn't know you were close with Yaten and Seiya Kou," she told the other blonde.

Usagi raised a brow. "I am," she responded, curious about how she knew this information. "Seiya and I went to NYU together, and I met his brothers through him. How did you know?"

Minako gulped her drink again, realizing by Usagi's tone that she could have perceived her own curiosity as threatening. She didn't mean it that way. "Sorry, Yaten called to tell me he was going out of town earlier, and when I mentioned that I was with you and Makoto, he asked me to pass the message to you too."

Usagi softened at the girl's explanation. "Oh," she gave Mina a genuine smile. "You're close to Yaten then?"

"We're dating."

Usagi's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, it makes sense now!" she exclaimed, laughing. "I thought you looked familiar. Seiya's shown me a picture of you and his brother when he picked me up from the airport, but somehow I didn't recognize you."

Minako beamed at the knowledge that Yaten's younger brother acknowledged her in such a manner, and tried to shake off the thought that Yaten never bothered to mention his relationship with her.

"You and Seiya are really closes, huh?" Minako commented, hoping to steer the conversation towards a different topic.

Usagi nodded. "He's a lifesaver. I don't think I would have survived in New York if he wasn't around. Actually, all three brothers are amazing. Taiki got his interior desig—"

Her voice trailed off as she noticed Makoto walking back towards them, in front of Motoki and a pair of deep blue eyes that threatened to haunt her forever. Briefly, she wondered if this had been a setup; but Makoto wouldn't do that to her, would she?

"Sorry we're late girls," Motoki apologized as he pulled a seat out for Makoto. He moved to take the seat beside Usagi but was stunned to see that Mamoru had already sat there.

Minako felt the mood in the table shift the minute the men arrived. "Is everything okay?" she asked without directing the question towards a specific individual.

"Yeah, just hungry," Usagi heard Mamoru say. She nodded lamely, putting up a small smile to help ease the tension she was feeling. "Same here," she added. She expelled an inward sigh, and momentarily felt guilty. From the apologetic look Makoto had, it seemed like Mamoru's appearance caught her by surprise as well.

Conversation began soon after the server brought their food over, thanks primarily to Mina, whose cluelessness kept her from acting as awkwardly as everyone else at the table.

"You guys should see Usagi's dress," she told both men between bites of her dish. "Well, I suppose not you Motoki, since you're not single and are supposed to focus on the bride that day. But you, Mamoru... She might just knock you off your feet."

Usagi gulped down the rest of her Riesling and pour herself a few more ounces. She shivered when she heard him chuckle beside her.

"I'm sure she will," he agreed, amused by her reaction.

He was shocked, initially, to see her there, Motoki didn't mention it to him on their way over, and he figured it was likely he didn't know she would be here either. It was the first time they've been at the same place since the day he sought her at the university, and he wasn't sure what to expect. She hadn't exactly been civil to him so far.

… Of course, he hadn't exactly given her a reason to be.

But, he figured, he'd have to find a way passed this. After Rei left his apartment earlier that afternoon, his sister brought up a very good point.

It wasn't just about them anymore.

And Setsuna was right. Sure, everything he felt: the heartbreak, the remorse, the guilt, all stems from the fact that he failed at the single attempt he had ever made to pursue a relationship. But now that they weren't together, and as far as he could see, they wouldn't be together anymore, he had to consider everyone else around them. They had to make sure that their history didn't affect each other's relationships with the group. And from her silent behavior so far, he found it appropriate to assume that she felt the same way.

"It's too late for that though; I think Usagi's already got a plus one."

Usagi's eyes widened at Makoto's words. She looked at the brunette; she was already turning pink from a single glass of wine. Makoto had never been good at holding her liquor.

She felt the table's eyes on her, and she suddenly remembered that the others were there, too. She tried to quell her disappointment at the fact that Mamoru's mere presence still had an effect on her. Despite the lack of conversation between the two of them, everyone else seemed to vanish.

'You're dating someone?" she heard Motoki ask. Beside her she thought she felt Mamoru stiffen. But why would he when he made it abundantly clear that she was just part of a failed relationship that occurred in the past?

She shook her head, partly for effect, and partly to shake away the thoughts that would surely plague her.

"Not that I know of," she responded as she attempted to pour herself another glass of wine. She sighed, finding it empty, and motioned for the server to send their table another.

"I bet Alan will be knocking on your door soon though," Makoto instigated, looking directly at Mamoru. "You guys looked great standing next to each other earlier. Plus it seems like you guys have a lot in common. He's a law student at the university too, no?"

Motoki gave Usagi an apologetic look and proceeded to move Makoto's wine glass away.

"He asked for your number earlier, didn't he?" Minako added naively.

"Just to be friendly; new school and everything," Usagi responded with a tight smile. "Besides, I think I want to be single for a while. I came to Tokyo to focus on my education, after all."

Mamoru took a sip of his Manhattan, hoping that it would help push back the growing urge to punch a wall in the pit of his stomach. He shouldn't be surprised that other men were giving Usagi attention. Hell, even the waiter ran towards their table whenever she threw him a smile.

"You're last boyfriend must have done a number on you," he stated blankly. He regretted his words immediately, and mentally reprimanded himself for his inability to keep his mouth shut. He took another sip of his drink, pretending not to see Makoto's appalled expression from across the table.

Usagi cringed. Was he kidding? Did he see her as a joke that he would actually, actually try to bring up any topic of a past relationship jokingly, as though he had the right to?

Of course he did. Asshole.

"Actually, Jason was a great guy," she replied grinning innocently before looking over at Minako. "It's too bad it didn't work out, but he was headed to Princeton and, at the time, I had my eyes set on Harvard."

"That's too bad," Minako told her, thinking about how sad she herself would be if she and Yaten ever had to deal with a similar situation.

"At least he wouldn't have to deal with you leaving the country."

He groaned inwardly. He was doing it again. What was it about Usagi that made him so passive-aggressive?

This time, Motoki spoke up. "That was unnecessary."

He sighed, knowing his friend was right. He looked at the girl beside him. Her face was unreadable. She'd become good at hiding her thoughts; when they were younger, her heart was constantly on her sleeve for the world to see and pick apart.

Somehow, it didn't suit her.

"You guys are just like an old married couple," Mina commented. "You guys must have been really close growing up to banter the way you do."

It took all of Usagi's strength not to take the bottle in her hand and drink straight from it upon hearing the word 'married'. This was unbearable. Thankfully, Motoki suggested they go, as it was getting late. She gave him a look of eternal gratitude as she pulled her silk kimono cardigan tightly around her.

…..

"This is insane, even for you."

Setsuna sighed as the person she was speaking to put a sleek black mobile phone back into the desk drawer. _I should have known_, she thought to herself. _It's all just so convenient._

"You should know by now that I get what I want," the person sitting behind the desk replied authoritatively. "By hook, or by crook."

She rolled her eyes. "What are you going to do when he finds out?" she asked. "You don't think this will blow up in your face?"

The other person chuckled. "This is for the best. That's all there is to it."

…

…

…

…

Unfortunately for Usagi, the most unbearable dinner of her life turned into the most unbearable car ride home. She cursed herself for drinking so much. How could she have failed to realize that in the span of two hours, she finished almost two bottles of wine by herself? She didn't even think it had much of an effect on her until she nearly tripped on the way to her car. Of course, the power couple of the year wouldn't allow her to drive in that state. Which would have been fine. She could have called a cab.

But then Mina just had to suggest that Mamoru drive her care home since they live in the same building.

"Ughhh," she groaned. She shouldn't have shared that information with her fellow blonde.

"That's what happens when you drink too much. You get sick," Mamoru scolded as he tried to find a plastic bag to hand her while driving. "How new is this damn car? Is there anything you can throw up in?"

"Shut up," the blonde retorted. "I don't feel sick. I can handle my liquor just fine. Just leave me to grieve over the fact that I'm stuck in a car with you for the next hour."

She leaned her head on the passenger-side window, mumbling about what a menace Tokyo traffic was. She tried to figure out how much farther away they were from home, to see if she could walk there instead.

"Not close enough," her driver noted.

She raised a brow. "I didn't ask you."

"You were thinking it, though," Mamoru told her anyway.

"It's none of your business what I think."

"Just pointing it out."

"Well don't point shit out!"

"Then don't get drunk and unable to take yourself home!"

The vehicle skidded to a stop as Mamoru slammed on the brakes and pulled to the sidewalk. Seeing her chance, Usagi moved to open her door, only to find it child-locked.

"Push the button," she told him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mamoru lied. Her tone was rising; she was obviously drunk and there was no way in hell he was letting her out of the car.

"Chiba Mamoru, you are not locking me inside my own car. Push the damn button!"

He exhaled, realizing that if they were to get home at all, he would need to curb his temper too. He looked at her and almost laughed. She sat on the passenger seat with her arms crossed, pouting like a child. This was the Usagi he remembered.

"Don't laugh."

"Okay."

"Don't talk."

He nodded.

"Don't respond."

He sighed. "This is ridiculous."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I told you not to talk."

"You're acting like a child."

She leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees and her hands on her head. "I can't do this."

"Do what?" Mamoru asked, catching himself before he placed a hand on her head.

Usagi leaned back into her seat and looked him in the eye. "Be around you."

She sighed. "Four years on my own and graduated at the top of my class in one of the top 50 universities in the world. A prestigious internship in one of the best law firms in the United States as an undergrad. A full-ride, academic-based scholarship to Japan's top law program, and still… this is what I'm reduced to when I'm around you."

She sat back quietly as Mamoru finally put her car back in gear. He didn't talk; she was thankful for that. What would she say, anyway? Disappointment filled her as she realized that, once again, she lost control of herself and revealed too much to him.

…

…

…

…

Neither one of them spoke as Mamoru parked the into the underground parking structure. He looked at his watch as he closed his door. It had been thirty minutes since either of them said a word.

He walked behind her, watching each determined step she took towards the elevator. It was the little things like the way she walked that told him he wasn't the Usagi he used to know anymore. Her words rang in his head. Her outburst stunned him; surely, what he saw was barely the surface. He found himself unsure of whether he wanted to know much more.

He heard her exhale, presumably in relief, when they finally reached her floor. She walked out of the chamber wordlessly, and he followed her in case she wasn't quit sober enough just yet.

She didn't look at him once, not even as she held her hand up to him for her keys. He watched as she slipped tiny piece of metal into the lock before blocking her entrance.

"I get it." His voice was almost whisper-quiet. "After everything I did to you, I understand why you wouldn't want anything to do with me. And I agree; you shouldn't have to."

Usagi stayed quiet. She was tired and all she wanted to do was put some pajamas on and get into bed. She made a plan to reach for the bottle of headache medicine the minute she was in her apartment to combat the oncoming headache her pulsing temples were warning of.

"But we owe them, Usako."

He noticed her flinch as he accidentally referred to her with an old pet name. Mamoru pretended to ignore it, and continued talking.

"Four weeks," he told her. "Can we pretend, for four weeks, just until the wedding, just in front of them, that everything's fine?"

Usagi nodded, feeling a combination of defeated and fatigued. She felt emotional and incapable of processing anything at the moment, but she understood. She looked up at him, using the last of her strength to keep from reading too much into how tired and sad his eyes looked.

"Okay."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi everyone! It's been a minute since I posted a chapter. I've been busy with all sorts of family-related activities, but don't worry! I'm still writing. Anyhow, enjoy the chapter!**

**PS. I' looking for someone to proofread my work, mostly because I get really lazy and don't want to do it sometimes. PM me if you're interested pls!**

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><p>He blinked. A few minutes ago they were outside her door, barely agreeing to being civilized towards each other until their friends' wedding and now, well… they were here.<p>

It was a big blur, really, how they got there and how they got to this point. But it didn't particularly matter. Something told him that nothing would, as long as this happened.

He moved his hand towards her, slowly peeling the silk cardigan off her shoulder. And she let him, even helped him by inching away from the door she was up against and letting it fall to the floor with no hesitation as her tongue its languid battle with his own.

"Bed. Now." Her voice was hoarse, but absolute. He put his hands right beneath her back pockets and gave her ass a soft squeeze before lifting her up. Usagi wrapped her legs around him and he moaned as he felt the heat of her core through the fabric, teasing his already-hard length with its closeness.

She giggled as he tossed her on the mattress mere moments later, and he let her pull him down on top of her. He nuzzled her nuzzled against her neck, leaving the tiniest trace of kisses from its base up to the hollow right beneath her jaw as his hands explored her body.

He heard her moan as he neared her waist, and kissed her lips again and again, begging for entrance as his fingers deftly unbuttoned her jeans and slid them off, along with the thin strip of lace that would have otherwise served as the last barrier between them.

"Shit." He groaned as his fingers landed on the hot, wet surface of her core and felt himself get even harder, if that was at all possible. His eyes aimed at her crystal blue depths as his thumb stroked her hard nub and his middle finger found its way inside her.

"Mamoru, hurry!"

…

…

Mamoru awoke in a daze. He reached over beside him, unable to hide his disappointment. "Fuck." It was just a dream.

He felt the surge of numerous emotions course through his veins. First, anger. He wanted to punch a wall, thinking he was an idiot for being so disappointed. Or delusional. Or both.

Then there was the hollowness. A familiar friend, this feeling was. For years now he'd look at the other side of the bed and find it empty, void of warmth, of feeling, of any trace that he used to have something so close it was almost tangible. The hollowness grew from the cold he first felt five years ago, a product of his own self-loathing.

"Get a grip, Chiba." He shook his head as he threw the blankets off of him and groaned at the sight. It was too early for a cold shower, but he didn't have much of a choice. Apparently his body thought he was still a teenage kid.

…

…

Usagi took a drag from her cigarette, looking at her surroundings. She'd decided to do her work at the coffee shop near the university so she could focus better. After last night's drama, decorating her apartment and the anxiety induced by daily life, it was impossible to get any of the ever-growing pile of work she's been assigned done.

She took another drag and cursed herself for letting other things get in the way of her education. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Getting in touch with old friends was nice, but it was never part of the plan. At the very least, it shouldn't be taking up so much of her time. She promised herself before leaving New York that she would continue to move forward, continue to make the progress she did during the five years she was away. So why is it that after only a few weeks, she feels like she's right back where she started?

She missed normalcy. She missed running with her group at Central Park and people watching on the steps of the Met. She missed Hot Cheetos, Sour Punch Straws, real diners that didn't serve food with rice, and Netflix. Damn, she missed Netflix. She tried to log in from her apartment one random evening and found that it didn't work overseas. What kind of bullshit was that!?

"Something bothering you?"

Usagi dropped her cigarette, surprised to hear the familiar voice. She looked up and smiled. "Hi, Alan." She motioned for him to take the seat across from hers and she bent down to pick up the fallen cigarette. "Sorry, I'm a little out of it today."

"Want to talk about it?" Alan gave her a wide grin before taking a sip of his coffee. Usagi chuckled, appreciating his effort. "Just… overwhelmed, I think." She contemplated smoking another cigarette and thought better of it. "And homesick. Really homesick."

"I thought you were born and raised in Japan?" He shifted in his seat, trying to get into a more comfortable position. "May I?" he pointed towards he pack of cigarettes on the table and took one when Usagi nodded.

"I was, but I consider New York my home now."

"So right now, Japan is temporary?"

She took a moment to respond, thinking about the question thoroughly. "Right now, I think so."

…

…

"Babe, there's a message for you!"

Makoto walked over to the couch and looked at her phone, smiling at the message from Mina. "Looks like Usagi _will_ have a plus one to the wedding after all," she murmured as she showed her fiancé the message. Motoki glanced at the picture of Usagi and a man talking animatedly at one of the coffee shops near Tokyo University. He read Mina's captioned and winced.

_Coffee dates already!? Looks like European Alan is in it to win it ;)_

"European Alan?" Motoki laughed at the nickname Minako had already doled out on the poor guy. "Yeah, he's half European. I think his mother is from Norway, or maybe Denmark?" Motoki shrugged. "I guess," he muttered, thinking about what this would mean. He knew that he was probably looking too far into the future, but he had to wonder what effect Usagi's love life would have on Mamoru. Although his best friend would never admit to it easily, Mamoru's antics during last night's dinner showed Motoki that there's at least a possibility that Mamoru would want to get back together with Usagi, if given the chance. And if the conversation Mamoru told him they did have last night was indeed true, then he's practically got his foot into the door of Usagi's life again.

"Anyway, is everything set for tomorrow?"

Makoto's question drew Motoki away from his thoughts. "Yeah," he responded. "I called the lodge this morning to confirm. I'm picking up the rental van early tomorrow morning, so we can probably leave town around ten."

"Yay!" Makoto beamed as she finished the last of her cleaning and sat on the couch beside Motoki. "I got so excited last night when everybody in our wedding party said they would be able to make it, even though it was so last minute." Makoto flipped through the cabin rental information one more time. "I still can't believe one of you clients got our entire group a cabin at Mount Mitake for the weekend. Who is it? I want to send them a thank you note."

Motoki took his fiancé's hand and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles. "Don't worry about that, I've got it all taken care of."

…

…

Seiya looked at the bags he and Usagi had just stuffed in his trunk. "Geez, are you guys planning on being drunk the entire time?" The blonde laughed. "There's ten of us, so I think we have just enough."

"Two handles of Belvedere, two bottles of Jameson, three bottles of Blue Label, five bottles each of Moscato, Reisling and Bordeaux. Not to mention the emergency bottle of Hennessy that I'm sure is stashed with your clothes somewhere." He laughed as Usagi swatted his arm. "You act like it's too much, when you know we've done way more with way less people." She threw him a look of pretend annoyance, although she knew that part of the reason she had gotten so much was to make the next three days and two nights more bearable.

Motoki had come to her apartment the night before, the first guest of their group of friends in her new home, and they had talked for about an hour. He had reminded her that not only would she be in close proximity with Mamoru for an extended amount of time, but that she would also have to face Rei, who she hadn't seen since…

She shuddered, willing herself not to think those thoughts. She had told Motoki that she wanted to make an effort and try, not only for him and Makoto, but for herself as well.

"I don't want to live in fear of my past. I want to move forward."

And, she figured, that she had. She and Mamoru had an agreement to stay civil until the wedding is over; that was enough for now. As for Rei, she agreed to be Makoto's best friend with the knowledge that she would be one of the other bridesmaids. She'd figure it out with her too. Hopefully in a more graceful manner.

"I'm sure the couple would understand if you don't want to go, Serena."

Usagi smiled. She hadn't been called Serena in a while. It felt nice. She stretched her arms out, thankful for the fact that Seiya had a convertible that allowed it. "There are seven other people there, Seiya. Seven people I've loved and neglected. It would be selfish, wouldn't it?"

He shook his head; there was no talking to her once her mind was set.

"Besides, Mamoru and I already have an agreement to stay civil with each other until the wedding is over. I don't want to run away from that anymore."

"And after?" Seiya glanced at her briefly before looking at the road again.

"Our program is three years long," she told him with a sigh. "So for now, all I know is that this…" she paused, inhaling deeply, thinking about what she told Alan the day before. "It's temporary."

…

…

Makoto was standing with Ami watching as the guys placed everyone's luggage along with the food and other supplies in the back of the van when she saw a blue convertible drive closer. Inside, she saw Usagi, waving at them from the passenger seat next to Mamoru.

She squinted. That couldn't be possible. Mamoru had been at her house since seven thirty this morning, and at the moment he was inside using the phone to take care of some business prior to leaving for the weekend. She walked towards the car as it was parked, and her eyes widened in surprise. It wasn't Mamoru, but they were very close in appearance. This man was tall and athletically built, with short, clean cut dark hair.

_It must be Seiya Kou_, she thought, thinking about how Minako had told her and the other girls before that he did, in fact, resemble Mamoru. It was astonishing, almost, to see him with Usagi. Like a blast from the past, nostalgia tugged at her almost mockingly. Of all the people in the most crowded city in the United States, this is the person Usagi had ended up being closest to.

It was almost funny, really.

"Are we late?" Usagi eyed the guys as she walked towards Makoto. She could see Motoki, his cousin Hayato, the shaggy haired Yuichiro, and Ryo by the car. "Where's everyone else?"

"Inside," The two girls hugged in greeting, and Usagi motioned to her companion. "Makoto, I'd like you to meet Seiya. Seiya, this is Makoto."

"It's nice to finally meet you." Seiya shook Makoto's hand. "Congratulations on your engagement, and the wedding, of course."

"Thank you. And same here. Usagi's told me so many stories about you."

He chuckled, putting an arm around Usagi's shoulders. "Oh, I'm sure I have just as many stories about her."

She elbowed his side before walking to the truck with the alcohol, Seiya trailing behind with the luggage. "Thought you guys might be thirsty, so I brought some refreshments."

"What the hell?"

"Usagi!"

She laughed as she hugged each of the groomsmen individually. It had been so long since she saw them all, and they all looked so different and still somehow similar to the images that lingered in her memories. She willed herself not to tear up; it wasn't the time for it. This was a good moment.

They walked back to the apartment after making sure that the luggage was complete, and Usagi introduced Seiya to the rest of the group. Mina knew him, or course, and Motoki had met him at a few events previously, thanks primarily to the nature of his family's and Yaten's businesses. They would share quick glances as he made conversation with her friends, and once again Usagi felt thankful for his reassurance, his presence in her life.

It wasn't until she caught two figures walking from the kitchen, towards the group, that she realized Mamoru and Rei had been missing. A sudden coldness overcame her, and suddenly she felt sick.

"Are you okay, Usagi? You look a little pale." Seiya placed his palm on her forehead and frowned.

Usagi shook her head. "I'm fine."

…

…

Mamoru had to remind himself to keep walking forward when he saw who he assumed to be the youngest Kou sibling touch Serena. He was being ridiculous, and he knew it. But somehow, despite spending the last five years learning over and over again that she wasn't his anymore, he saw red.

It probably didn't help that she sat so close to him, as if she didn't want him out of his sight. _That doesn't matter though, idiot_, he reminded himself as he continued to walk behind Rei.

The sudden realization almost made him laugh. _This must be a sign_, he thought to himself. _Of all the people in this house, I had to run into Rei on my way back to the living room. _

But did it matter? Usagi's face was unreadable in that brief moment he knew she saw them. And that moment, walking behind Rei from a more secluded part of the house, and her lack of a response. All of it told him that while she had changed and grown up, he was still the dumb kid that just kept making mistakes.

"Mamoru, Rei, this is Seiya Kou."

It wasn't Usagi that made the introduction, but Minako. "He brought Usagi here," the blonde added. "He's also my boyfriend's brother."

Mamoru shook his hand, measuring as much of Seiya Kou as possible from his grip. He'd heard talk, of course, through the grapevine, that he was gay. However, seeing how close he was to Usagi, it was pretty hard to believe.

"Hi, Usagi."

Rei's quiet voice broke Mamoru's thoughts. He felt frozen, once again, unsure of how to progress from the awkwardness that was occurring between the four of them. It was one thing for him to greet her; they had made an agreement and once she replied in kind he understood that she meant to comply. But Rei's involvement was something he'd only ever shared with Motoki.

"It's been a while, Rei." Her voice was as firm as it could be, considering the circumstances. She knew this would happen, and she had already spent some time trying to figure out how she would handle it. Granted, seeing them walk out together felt a little like a slap in the face. But if she needed to force that water under the bridge, she would.

She smiled at Mamoru, remembering the quiet agreement they made. He had no expression; he never did, really, and it took some effort for her not to wonder if he thought about her feelings, _at all_.

Except really, they'd already agreed to be civil. She supposed this was, in some sick way, part of the deal.

"Isn't it about time for you guys to head out?"

She turned to Seiya, smiling her thanks. "Yeah, I think so," she responded. One by one the group marched out of the apartment and headed out to the van, ready for the weekend ahead. Once outside, she thanked her friend for being there, and promised to let him know when she'd be back.

…

…

To say that the cabin was nice would have been the understatement of the century, Usagi thought as she walked beside Ami. The cabin was, essentially, a mansion in the woods. The three story behemoth boasted five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. And it was complete: there was a game room with a bar and a pool table, a screening room with a digital projector, a full kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, and a spacious living room with what had to be the most comfortable couch Usagi had ever sat on. The outside was even more spectacular. There was an infinity pool, a large hot tub, and a basketball court—a basketball court!—against a beautiful mountain backdrop.

"I can't believe Motoki's client gave us all of this." Makoto beamed as she stood next to Usagi and looked at the view from the floor to ceiling windows. "It's beautiful."

Usagi nodded. "I keep forgetting that this place exists less than two hours away from where we live. I heard there's a great hiking trail about five kilometers from here; we should check it out tomorrow morning!"

Makoto turned to the blonde. It was the first time all morning that they've been alone, and she decided to ask her the question that had been running through her mind since she'd initially asked her to be her maid of honor.

"Usagi, is this…. I don't know… is this okay?"

Usagi gave her a knowing look. Her friend might have been short on words, but her meaning was clear. The most honest answer, on the other hand, was a little more complicated.

"I know I've been selfish. You'd just come back, and we just ran into each other by accident. Hell, I don't even know if you meant to let me know you were in the country." Makoto inhaled as she held back the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. "You were back, but… but I pushed you into coming back without even asking if this was what you wanted. I'm so sorry."

"It's not ideal," Usagi admitted with a slight smile. And no, I wouldn't have wanted to face everything I left behind so quickly, but it's here now." She took her friend's arm and held it gently. "Besides, I want to do this… be _here_ for you."

Unable to help it any longer, the tears Makoto had tried to keep in started to fall. Usagi hugged her, patting her back gently to soothe her. "Mako-chan, there's no need to cry. Come on; let's get you to the bathroom so you can freshen up. We don't want Motoki and the others to see you sad, right?"

…

…

Staying in a house with Mamoru was a lot easier than Usagi had anticipated, mainly because there were eight other people to share it with. It was easy to be around each other without being _around_ each other. They spoke to each other when they had to, and neither one avoided the other. Instead, most of their time was spent bonding with the others. She did avoid Rei, however. She tried to be civil when absolutely necessary, and luckily the girl seemed to reciprocate the action by staying away as much as she could. She knew it was unfair that she could smile at and even talk to Mamoru but couldn't muster up the desire to even pretend warmth towards Rei, but she wasn't ready to cross that bridge just yet. _One thing at a time_, she reasoned to herself. _Everything is better in moderation_.

"Come on Usagi, you're not gonna be able to weasel your way out of playing." She looked at Yuichiro, who was pointing to an empty chair next to Makoto. In the middle of the table were two large glasses and a deck of cards were spread around them. "Why are there two cups?"

"Per the bride's request, there is one for wine and one for beer. The loser's partner in the wedding party will have to drink with him or her," Yuichiro explained at the head of the table. Usagi nodded, her eyes moving to Mamoru's seat across the dinner table. Usagi laughed. "In that case, let me get my own bottle of."

The first card picked was a seven. One by one, each of them pointed a finger up in the air, with Motoki being the last one. "Dammit, I'm always the last one," he laughed as he drank from the bottle of beer in his hand. The next card was a nine, chosen by Ryo. "Ugh, rhyme," he began, and everyone scrambled to come up with a word that would, well, rhyme. Luckily for Usagi, the round ended with Hayato, and she didn't have to drink.

Soon it was her turn, and she pulled out a three. She laughed, and the guys at the table cheered as she took a long sip from her bottle of wine. After about fifteen seconds, she finally stopped.

"Looks like someone's done her share of partying out of the country," Hayato quipped beside her. Usagi giggled, feeling a little warm from the Reisling, and shook her head. "You don't know the half of it!"

Yuichiro picked up the first Jack. Everybody groaned as he began explaining the rules for "Never Have I Ever" and brought their hands out. He looked at Ami and Mina conspiratorially and the three of them laughed; they were obviously planning something.

He was first: "Never have I ever lived with my significant other." The soon-to-be-wed couple groaned, realizing that the questions in this round were meant for them. They each held one finger up, with Motoki using his middle, aimed at Yuichiro as he frowned in mock annoyance.

Ryo came up with the next one: "Never have I ever proposed to my girlfriend after graduating from college." The couple groaned again, putting up a second finger respectively.

Now, it was Mina's turn. She winked at her two co-conspirators and smiled at the couple, knowing that the last question would mean the two would have to drink. "Never have I ever… been engaged to someone at this table."

Yuichiro choked on his beer midsip, and an awkward silence surrounded the table. Mina looked around, confused, until he saw two additional fingers up in the air, along with the couple's.


End file.
